The Dark Internet vs. the Regular Internet: History, Myths, and Reality

The regular internet has long become something like a cozy café on the corner — a place where you’re always welcome. You can step into the familiar “white” internet for an informational boost even while wearing your slippers at home. That’s why, while browsing through flashy website headlines, it’s easy to forget that the internet we know today began as an experiment in the military field.

The history of the internet started in the 1960s when U.S. military engineers sought a way to transmit information between computers in case part of the network was destroyed, for example, during a war. The first steps toward the internet are owed to ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), a network developed in 1969 at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense. This project was led by American scientist Lawrence Roberts, later joined by Leonard Kleinrock, Robert Kahn, and Vint Cerf — often referred to as the fathers of the internet.

The idea was simple: to find a solution that would allow several computers to connect and exchange data. On October 29, 1969, the first attempt to send a message between two computers was made — one was at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the other at Stanford. The message was supposed to contain the word “LOGIN,” but due to an error, only the first two letters, “LO,” were transmitted. So technically, the internet began with “LO.”

The internet was created for the following purposes:

◾️ to ensure communication resilience. If one part of the network was destroyed, the rest could continue functioning;

◾️ to exchange data or research results;

◾️ to use resources efficiently. The network allowed multiple users to simultaneously access powerful computing machines.

In the 1980s, an important tool for the internet emerged — the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) technology.

It served as a universal language that allowed computers worldwide to communicate with each other. The development of the first internet protocol was led by two scientists, Robert Kahn and Vint Cerf. Their invention made it possible to connect various computer networks into one massive global network. The TCP/IP protocol remains in use to this day.

In 1989, engineer Tim Berners-Lee made another significant step for the internet. He invented the WWW (World Wide Web) — the very system that allows us to browse websites today. Berners-Lee developed hyperlinks (clickable text) and website addresses (URLs) to help people easily find and open the pages they need. Essentially, he transformed the complex network of computers into a user-friendly tool accessible to everyone.

By the 1990s, the internet began to commercialize, giving rise to the first online stores and search engines.

Today, the internet has become a massive supermarket where you can find anything. Social networks allow us to share achievements, argue with strangers about politics, and laugh at memes, which have also become part of everyday life.

The internet has answers to questions we’re too embarrassed to ask even close friends. Forums, in particular, are a universe of their own, where advice from self-proclaimed experts always starts with the phrase: “I’m not a doctor, but apply some baking soda, and it’ll go away.”

And someone obediently goes to apply the soda.

We’ve long become accustomed to the fact that the internet is not only a place for funny GIFs but also a space full of dangers. We now view these tricks with a sense of indulgence, perhaps even resignation. The internet might offer you a chance to win an iPhone or take a quiz that ends up being a paid subscription. Using phishing attacks, scammers send fake emails, prompting people to leave their personal data on fraudulent websites. Viruses sneak into computers via cute videos, and personal data gradually stops being personal. Social networks manipulate perceptions, while fake news spreads far faster than real information.

There’s even a theory of the “empty” internet, suggesting that the vast majority of content online isn’t created by real people but by bots, algorithms, or political entities. According to this theory, social networks and forums are an elaborate illusion designed to control the masses. Memes, comments, and articles are skillfully generated to influence users’ moods for specific purposes, whether political propaganda or commercial profit.

Skeptics, however, dismiss this theory as paranoia, arguing that generating such a vast amount of artificial content would be too expensive and complex. Nonetheless, our trust in the regular internet often becomes a vulnerability. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t ended up on a spam mailing list or blindly trusted a recommendation from a successful influencer at least once.

But the recipe for a lemon pie is needed right now, and the answer to “What should I wear on a date?” can only be found through comments on social media. There’s no way around it. Okay, Google…

And so we solve the problem the way we’re used to. Maybe that’s the only way it can be solved.

The dark internet is more like the basement of an impenetrable castle. You can’t simply walk in wearing worn-out slippers, and you’re not always welcome here.

In one corner of the dark web, dusty chests filled with dollars sit, while in another, ominous skeletons hide. People enter the dark web with a specific purpose and tread cautiously, much like they would when stepping into any basement. For some users, the dark web is a tool for freedom; for others, it’s a shadowy black market. For others still, it’s a mystical place shrouded in legends.

Perhaps that’s why the dark web is so alluring. But does an ordinary person need such an internet?

The story of the dark web began in the 1990s when a group of researchers — Paul Syverson, Michael Reed, and David Goldschlag — worked on the Tor (The Onion Router) project. The task was a serious one: they needed to create a system that would ensure anonymity for military personnel and intelligence agents. The name “Tor” emerged from the technology’s multi-layered encryption, where each layer of data resembles a layer of an onion.

This approach was widely used in intelligence operations. Suppose an agent needs to deliver a secret letter. It’s critical that no one knows who sent it, where it’s going, or where it originated. The agent communicates with a network of operatives, and several individuals come into play. Each person only knows the one who handed them the letter or the one they must deliver it to — but not the entire chain.

Furthermore, the secret letter is wrapped in several layers of paper, like a Christmas gift. Each person in the chain removes just one layer, reads the address of the next recipient, and passes it along. By the time the letter reaches its final destination, all the layers have been removed, and only the last agent in the chain knows where to deliver it.

Tor was created with a noble goal: to protect data and ensure anonymity. But then something went wrong.

The dark web began to be used in countries where freedom of speech was under threat. Researchers used it to access rare archives, scientific materials, or classified information. People who wanted to report law violations or corruption anonymously turned to the dark web to share information. It became a haven for those opposing data collection by corporations or governments.

But the dark web also gained popularity among a different group of people.

Hackers love the dark web because it’s a marketplace for viruses, hacking tools, stolen data, and services for sale. After all, posting ads about hacking personal accounts on streetlamps isn’t exactly practical.

Black market vendors eagerly use the dark web to trade illegal goods. The most infamous anonymous marketplace was Silk Road, which gained a reputation in 2011 as a hub for all things forbidden. It offered drugs, weapons, and forged documents. However, the platform didn’t last long — the FBI shut it down in 2013, and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, was sentenced to life in prison.

The dark web operates by its own rules and uses unique domain extensions ending in “.onion,” which standard browsers like Chrome or Firefox cannot interpret. Moreover, regular browsers transmit data directly, leaving a digital fingerprint — IP address, geolocation, and device configuration.

To access the dark web, you need the Tor browser, which redirects traffic through multiple nodes worldwide and knows how to interpret website addresses with the “.onion” domain.

Sounds More Than Thrilling.

Some might already imagine themselves as spies, rushing into the regular internet with doubled enthusiasm to figure out where to download a browser for the dark web.

Not so fast!

On one hand, the dark web may seem like a club of friends dreaming of preserving anonymity; on the other, every one of these friends might be trying to pick your pocket. Wandering through the dark web is akin to strolling through a market in another galaxy. The goods may look exotic, but chances are, you won’t know how to use them. Most likely, you won’t even manage to get them to your fridge.

For most people, the dark web is unnecessary. The internet with familiar domains like “.com,” “.ru,” “.en,” and its usual social networks covers nearly all everyday needs — from finding recipes to watching TV shows. Even anonymity can be preserved in the regular internet while accessing hidden resources, like rare books that are no longer published.

The dark web is not a playground for entertainment. Venturing there out of curiosity is like entering a dark, abandoned house without a flashlight.

What Threats Await the Curious?

In the dark web, only the prepared survive. A simple click on a link in this network can easily lead to your computer being infected with dangerous viruses, worms, or ransomware. The dark web is a haven for malicious software, so without proper protection and knowledge of cybersecurity, it’s better to stay away.

The dark web is a true refuge for illegal content — material that could lead to severe psychological harm and significant legal consequences. It’s important to remember that law enforcement actively monitors dark web activities, and violations of the law can be tracked through various methods.

While the dark web is associated with complete anonymity, there’s always someone who can crack personal data. Security in the dark web requires a comprehensive approach — proper settings and encryption knowledge that even regular internet users often lack.

Finally, the dark web is shrouded in eerie legends that no one is in a hurry to debunk.

One theory claims there are websites in the dark web where acts of violence are streamed live, and viewers pay to control what happens. While there’s no evidence proving these sites exist, the rumor has persisted for over a decade.

Another theory suggests that the dark web often uses “cursed codes” — files that allegedly kill anyone who opens them. Most likely, these are just ordinary viruses, but who would dare to find out?

Some dark web enthusiasts argue that visiting forbidden sites could accidentally trigger content that later manifests in real life.

Which internet to use in daily life is entirely up to you. Just remember that the dark web is a space with its own rules and risks. And a seemingly harmless query like “how to cook cabbage in an original way” might lead you into an unusual trap — one that’s difficult to escape for many reasons.

Perhaps it’s worth thinking more often about why we use the internet at all and remembering that the internet, whether white or dark, is just a tool. It all depends on how you use it.

Okay, Google…

That’s enough of the internet for today.