Casting Light on the Dark Web: A Guide for Safe Exploration

For those who think of the dark web as inherently malign, this concise and informative primer will set them straight. Armed with masters degrees in, respectively, information and library science, Beckstrom and Lund set out to provide a “no-bull guide to the dark web,” starting by clarifying that calling this loose-knit group of specially-accessed websites dark doesn’t connote nefarious purposes, but user anonymity—a potentially desirable quality for political dissidents, whistle-blowers, and people simply concerned with online privacy. The authors explore the three major browsers available—Freenet, I2P, and Tor (the most popular)—and provide guidance for accessing and downloading all three, security tips, and helpful screen grabs. They also debunk six common myths about their subject—such as “the dark web is mostly a marketplace for illicit drugs” or “it is illegal to use the dark web—and cover how to avoid illegal activity on the dark web and what to do if one does encounter it (in general, call or email the FBI). Readers will immediately note how the book is structured—each chapter is self-contained, with its own table of contents and bibliography—a somewhat unusual but effective organizing principle aimed at usability. Beckstrom and Lund’s smart and well-informed guide makes a clear case for the dark web’s benefits and dispels associated myths. (Sept.)