Darknet markets are sites where you can buy and sell things like weapons, drugs, privacy and so on. They are also referred to as TOR Markets. Darknet markets have a bad reputation for being involved in some illegal activities. However, the truth is that darknet markets are used completely legally for buying things, not just for buying anything illegal.
What is Darknet?
Darknet is the name given to the internet which is not visible from a normal internet search engine or browser. It is not possible to go onto your average search engine homepage, type what you are looking for, and then find a darknet site. These sites are only visible on special software and if you are part of a specific group that knows what to look for by using specific links known as “onion links”. In order to find these sites, you need to know where to go.
The Tor Project, which is how people surf the darkweb, is a project that was actually set up by the US government in 2001.
The mission was to create a way for people to communicate online without being traced. The project is funded by the US department of defense and it was designed to be encrypted, end to end to ensure privacy between parties.
The Tor Project is often used as the name for the darknet market. However, Tor is the browser project and not the market itself.
The darknet market is the hidden part of the web. Darknet markets allow for people to buy and sell things online without risk of interception.
There are more and more markets appearing. This means that more and more of us are able to buy and sell things via these channels. On the face of it, it seems fantastic for efficiency and speed, however, it has been caught up in some controversies.
People feel that darknet markets are not subject to the same laws or regulations as regular sites. Therefore, people are allowed to sell items which they are forbidden to sell via regular sites. The US government has tried to put an end to this by increasing the cost of participating in darknet markets. As a result, the number of markets has gone down.
However, we have also seen a rise in private markets or shadow sites which avoid the attention of the US government. The increased awareness of darknet markets has made the US government now work towards shutting them down.
The good thing about the darknet market is that you can buy and sell anonymously. You cannot buy guns (there are laws about this), but you can buy and sell other goods. The difficult thing is that you cannot always trust what you are buying.
There is always the chance that things you are buying may be fake. However, you can often check customer reviews and buying from a trusted dealer.
Conclusion
This is a slightly controversial topic. Many people feel that the markets are beneficial. The lack of regulations and restrictions mean that people can conduct business easily. The prices are good. However, it is arguable that the darknet market is contributing to rising rates of illegal products.
If you are deciding about whether or not to become involved in a darknet market or not, you need to consider your own circumstances. Are you purchasing drugs, guns or items which can be used illegally? If so, then you risk having your products seized, breaking local laws and ending up on the wrong side of the law.
I have been writing about the dark side of travel. I enjoy talking about the hidden world on the internet. This gets a little bit strange when you realize that it is the world which many of us are living in. Many hackers, especially Russian hackers, were selling the info they gained from hacking, on the darknet market. You have to make a quick decision about whether you want to do business in a virtual market where no one knows you or whether you would rather stay as an anonymous regular user.