Using Tor to Explore the Deep Web

You’re an internet-savvy user. You’ve got web surfing down to a fine art. But how deep have you really been? Unless you’ve used a TOR browser, you’ve barely scratched the surface. The web, itself, is enormous. The part that we see every day is just a small fraction of what’s there.

If you consider all the information online protected by firewalls, databases, and passwords, there’s a lot more data out there. The deep web, which is where all this information resides, is 500 times larger than the surface web that we’re used to.

You might be wondering why you’ve never seen it before. You’ve probably used it without knowing about it. When you sign into your internet banking, you’re entering deep web territory. The deep web is always out there, but you can’t search for it using a conventional search engine.

There is also a third web realm: the dark web. Now this one you’ve probably heard something about. It’s not a place that you want to hang out in for long. The denizens of the dark web are mostly up to no good.

So, I Can’t Explore the Deep Web?

We didn’t say that. What you can do is download the TOR browser. Released back in 2002, this is a highly effective and stable browser. It can help you surf safely and anonymously on both the deep and the dark web while also accessing the surface web.

Is it Legal to Access the Deep and the Dark Web?

It’s perfectly legal to access and even surf both these hidden networks. If you are on the dark web, though, take caution. Many of the sites on the dark web offer illegal services. If you visit one of those sites, you could find yourself in hot water fast.

Why Would Anyone Want to Use Tor?

There are many reasons for using Tor over your typical search engine like Google:

• You want to protect your privacy. It’s a good way to keep your personal information safe from marketers and cybercriminals.
• You want to dodge local internet sensors.
• You want to draw attention to a cause anonymously. (Like whistle-blowers, for example.)
• Journalist who wants to protect the identity of a source, or who wants to dig deeper into an organization.
• Police task forces set up to monitor the dark web.
• Those who need a secure communication network.
• IT professionals checking the security of a site on the deep web.
• Criminals who want to keep their private dealings private.

As you can see, there’s no shortage of people who have good reasons to use a Tor browser. It’s a good browser if you prefer to remain anonymous. And, while there are some people who use it for illicit purposes, there are many more who use it for legitimate reasons.