What is the Difference Between Deep Web and Dark Web?

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Key differences between two mysterious corners of the internet

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: May 8, 2023 Fact Checked

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What is the Deep Web?

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What is the Dark Web?

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What is the Surface Web?

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How to Access the Deep Web

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How to Access the Dark Web

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Do you want to know the difference between the deep web and the dark web? While these two terms are often used interchangeably, the deep web and dark web are not the same. The dark web is a part of the deep web, but not everything on the deep web is part of the dark web. This wikiHow article teaches you the differences between the deep web, dark web, and surface web, as well as how to access each.

Things You Should Know

The dark web requires a special web browser to access, while the deep web is accessible in any browser.
The deep web includes anything that is not indexed by a search engine, including emails, bank accounts, and password-protected content.
Not everything on the deep web or dark web is illegal or illicit, but some of it is.

Section 1 of 5:

What is the Deep Web?

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The deep web is anything that is not indexed by a search engine. Anything that you cannot find with a Google search is part of the deep web. This includes the contents of websites that require accounts to access. Most people unknowingly access the deep web every day.
- Deep web services include anything that is password protected or behind a paywall, such as your email, bank account, or your Netflix subscription. Internet Archives is also a deep web tool that allows you to search websites that no longer exist.
- The deep web also includes content on the dark web because you can't find dark web content using a standard search engine.
- It is estimated that 90 - 95% of the internet is part of the deep web. The deep web contains as much as 7,500 terabytes of data.

Section 2 of 5:

What is the Dark Web?

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The dark web must be accessed with a special web browser. Dark web contents are on a separate network than the rest of the internet. The dark web is a hidden subset of the internet that can only be accessed using an anonymous web browser such as the TOR browser .
- The dark web is known for illegal content, such as drug sales, and stolen credit cards. ^{[1]
 X
 Research source} However, it is also a place for people to communicate freely. Journalists and people who live in countries with oppressive regimes often use the internet to get around censorship laws. Also, corporate and government whistleblowers can use the dark web to protect their identities.
- While you cannot access the dark web using a typical search engine, like Google, the dark web has have its own search engines that index dark websites.
- The TOR Network , which is used to access the dark web, was invented by researchers from the US Department of Defense to facilitate anonymous communications between intelligence sources. ^{[2]
 X
 Research source} The TOR browser is now used by people from all walks of life.
- Is it illegal to access the dark web? It is not illegal to access anonymous content using an anonymous web browser. However, it is illegal to access certain kinds of content on the dark web. Illegal content, such as stolen credit cards, drug sales, and illicit pornography can be illegal to access.