Publication

Sep 2015

This paper focuses on the Internet content that is accessible via The Onion Router (Tor), which is an encryption tool used by two dominant constituencies – those who want online privacy and criminals. The paper’s authors contend that while the anonymity provided by the Dark Web is unfortunately "crime friendly,” it also enables those living in politically repressive states to access controversial content and to express themselves freely. Having said this, the data doesn’t lie – the majority of sites on Tor are indeed criminally oriented, with drug marketplaces being the most common.

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Author Gareth Owen, Nick Savage
Series CIGI Papers
Publisher Chatham House
Copyright © 2015 Gareth Owen and Nick Savage. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution — Non-commercial — No Derivatives License 3.0.
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