Essay Sample on Darknet: Terror Groups and Criminal Gangs Exploit Anonymity

Introduction

There has been an increased interest in the darknet by terror groups and other criminal gangs. The increased investment by the terror groups has been because the dark web makes it very hard for law enforcement and other people to find the websites being used. The secrecy gives the terrorists and criminal groups an upper hand in creating gaps and zones of anonymity without government surveillance and interference (Paganini). The darknet also creates an avenue for illicit activities such as human trafficking and child pornography. This paper seeks to discuss whether the United States federal government efforts to de-anonymize business on the darknet to catch criminals is justified or misguided

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The darknet is, therefore, a worldwide web that can only be accessed using special software, which allows users and operators to remain untraceable. These sites are accessible by any user on the internet but are difficult to track the one hosting the website as the IP address is intentionally hidden (Pospisil 13). The concept is achieved with the aid of some tools like Tor and I2P. Due to this drastic change in technology since the 1990s, the landscape of law enforcement has also changed.

Law Enforcement on the Dark Web

The United States government is increasingly trying to crack the anonymizing networks and the crime rings that operate in this web. Therefore, monitoring of the darknet should be a primary goal of the internet surveillance agency of the government. More so, officials are continuously working on expanding techniques to de-anonymize activities on the darknet and identify malicious actors. The more distressing area of the darknet has also been shut down by the government. However, how crime occurs in the darknet has led policymakers to question whether the law enforcement agency has sufficient tools to combat illicit activities that might flow through the darknet (Kushner, 23). Law enforcement has had many opportunities to find criminals on the darknet by going undercover, hacking the networks, mass surveillance, following money trails, and gathering open-source information. The law enforcement can also use the honey pot traps, which are websites that mimic the ones related to illicit activity but, in the real sense, are set by the police to capture the IP address of the web users.

It is not a crime to access the darknet, and many legitimate businesses have darknet sites with the intention of enhancing information security between employees. Besides, people need a place of real anonymity, as this improves creativity and helps in protecting the rights of activists (Kushner, 4). Therefore, criminalizing the mere use and access of this web is misguided and mistaken. However, in addition to violating people's confidentiality in an effort to catch the criminals on the darknet, the authorities should also close all the shady sites known to host or facilitate illicit activities. Forcing the terrorists and fraudsters to move to new sites continuously will have a deterring effect on their ability to organize and commit crimes. In this case, de-anonymizing activity is justified, and the government needs to allocate enough assets to fight these illicit activities on the darknet. Such illegal activities may destabilize online commercial activities if left unchecked by successfully weakening consumer's use of credit cards and identities when purchasing services and commodities online. De-anonymization is necessitated by the threats caused by the darknet to the economic security of the United States. Moreover, without a hidden market place, it will be much harder for hackers to leap profit from their stolen goods.

Benefits of the Darknet

Although the darknet has its darkest corner, it also has some incredible beneficial uses. The darknet can be used for free speech as well as other activities by the military, journalists, law enforcement as well as human rights activists. As such, it depends on what a person does while on the darknet. For instance, reformers and political leaders can use the darknet to communicate and build movements for lawful protests and reforms in war-torn areas like Syria (Paganini). Dark web's early adopters were not criminals, but dissidents who helped others around the globe to fight oppressive regimes. In the 1990s, the darknet was just a hidden part of the internet and did not seem to mean a lot to criminals (Kushner, 5). Moreover, the darknet allows oppressed people to access information their government would never let them see and thus helps in fighting ignorance and provide knowledge.

How the Dark Web Is Harmful

The public widely knows the dark web for its harmful uses as it has attracted criminals from all corners of the world. Besides, everything in the darknet is encrypted, and thus criminals feel safe from surveillance and traps by law enforcement. Allowing the darknet to thrive could cause a significant problem for all internet users. This problem arises as every time a hack is done, and people lose faith in how well their privacy is being protected. This fear could make people shy away from shopping online and sharing their data with websites, which could lead to a slow erosion of the digital economy globally (Sparapani). Among the most significant types of illegal activity on the deep net includes the sale of passports and identity documents, hitmen for hire, trafficking of human organs, child abuse and pornography, red rooms, weapons, and drug sales. Additionally, terrorism and terror organizations on the deep web are the primary concern for law enforcement because they threaten national security (Paganini).

Conclusion

As discussed, the darknet is a cause of great concern over the safety of people's data, privacy, and wellbeing. The law enforcement should, therefore, increase its efficiency in surveilling the darknet and catching the criminals. The darknet exists to maintain anonymity and privacy on the internet and can be considered as a form of peaceful civil dis-obedience depending on what is used for. Due to increased illegal use, law enforcement needs to increase its surveillance. Law enforcement also needs to use systems that can track and store information from the darknet.

Works Cited

Kushner, David. "The Darknet: The Battle for the Wild West of the Internet," Rolling Stone. 2015.

Paganini, Pierluigi. "Terrorists and Dark Web, What Is Their Relationship?" Security Affairs. N.p. 2016. Web. https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/45755/terrorism/dark-web.html. Accessed 07 April 2020.

Sparapani, Tim. "The Dark Web Is Still A Huge, Difficult Problem." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 2016. https://www.forbes.com/sites/timsparapani/2016/06/28/the-dark-web-is-still-a-huge-difficult-problem/#5edf1f5c65b1 Accessed 8 April. 2020.