How to Access the Dark Web Safely

The internet has three layers:

• Surface web — Indexed by Google. About 5% of the internet. What most people use daily.
• Deep web — Not indexed by search engines. Includes email inboxes, bank accounts, private databases. About 90% of the internet.
• Dark web — Accessible only through Tor or similar networks. About 5% of the internet. Includes .onion sites.

The dark web exists because privacy is a fundamental right. Journalists use it to communicate with sources. Activists in authoritarian regimes use it to organize. Whistleblowers use it to expose corruption safely.

1. Always use a VPN + Tor together — VPN first, then Tor. This prevents your ISP from knowing you use Tor and adds an extra encryption layer.
2. Never use your real identity — Don't log into personal accounts (Gmail, Facebook, etc.) through Tor. Use separate, anonymous accounts.
3. Don't maximize the browser window — Window size can be used for fingerprinting. Keep the default Tor Browser size.
4. Keep JavaScript disabled — Use the "Safest" security level. JavaScript is the primary vector for de-anonymization attacks.
5. Never download files carelessly — Files downloaded through Tor can contain tracking code that connects outside Tor when opened.
6. Use a separate device or OS — Ideally use Tails OS (boots from USB, routes everything through Tor) or Whonix (runs in a VM).

• Journalism — The New York Times, BBC, ProPublica, The Guardian all have .onion sites for uncensored access
• Whistleblowing — SecureDrop is used by 70+ news organizations to receive anonymous tips
• Privacy communication — Encrypted email (ProtonMail), messaging, and file sharing
• Censorship circumvention — Citizens in China, Iran, Russia use Tor to access blocked websites
• Research — Academics, security researchers, and journalists study the dark web
• Privacy-first services — Search engines (DuckDuckGo), email (ProtonMail), social media (Facebook's onion site)

Whether you're a journalist, activist, or business that wants to offer a Tor-accessible version of your site, AnubizHost provides Tor hosting infrastructure in offshore jurisdictions with maximum privacy:

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• DDoS-protected .onion services
• Full root access — host any application