Introduction
The internet has revolutionized our lives in countless ways, connecting people across the globe and putting vast amounts of information at our fingertips. But beneath the surface of the web we use every day lies a hidden realm known as the Dark Net. In his book "The Dark Net," Jamie Bartlett takes readers on a fascinating and often disturbing journey into this shadowy digital underworld.
The Dark Net encompasses the encrypted networks and hidden corners of the internet where people can operate with near-total anonymity. It's a place that reflects and amplifies some of the darkest aspects of human nature - from cybercrime and extremism to addiction and exploitation. But it's also a realm of creativity, freedom, and resistance against oppression.
Through extensive research and firsthand encounters with Dark Net denizens, Bartlett illuminates the complex ecosystem that has emerged in the internet's shadows. He explores how technology enables new forms of human behavior - both destructive and constructive - and raises thought-provoking questions about privacy, freedom, and the nature of identity in the digital age.
The Rise of Internet Trolling
One of the most visible manifestations of the internet's dark side is the phenomenon of trolling - posting inflammatory or offensive comments online with the goal of provoking an emotional reaction. Bartlett examines how the anonymity and distance provided by the internet emboldens people to engage in cruel and antisocial behavior they would never consider in face-to-face interactions.
The book recounts the disturbing case of Caroline Criado-Perez, a feminist activist who faced a deluge of vicious online abuse and rape threats after successfully campaigning to feature Jane Austen on the UK's £10 note. The sheer volume and intensity of the attacks forced Criado-Perez into hiding, highlighting how online harassment can have very real consequences in the physical world.
Bartlett notes that convictions for aggressive or offensive online behavior in England and Wales nearly tripled between 2007 and 2012, from 498 to 1,423. This reflects both the growing prevalence of trolling and authorities' increasing efforts to combat it.
Not all trolling is equally malicious, however. Bartlett interviews a troll named Zach who views his activities as a form of mischievous entertainment rather than targeted harassment. Zach infiltrated a right-wing website and posted an intentionally poorly written message complaining about conservatives' lack of education. When users responded indignantly, he bombarded them with a barrage of penis pictures, literary quotes, and insults - all for his own amusement.
This more playful form of trolling blurs the line between harmless pranks and genuine harassment. It speaks to how the internet's unique properties can bring out impish, transgressive behavior in otherwise ordinary people.
Extremism and Lone Wolf Terrorism
The Dark Net provides fertile ground for political extremists and fringe ideologies to flourish. Websites and social media platforms offer discreet gathering places for those with views that are unacceptable in mainstream society.
Bartlett notes that the website of the far-right British National Party has been more popular than those of mainstream political parties in recent years. On Twitter, neo-Nazi groups use coded numbers in their usernames to signal their allegiance, like "14" (referring to a white supremacist slogan) and "88" (code for "Heil Hitler").
Perhaps most alarmingly, the Dark Net can serve as an echo chamber that radicalizes "lone wolf" terrorists who have little real-world connection to extremist groups. Bartlett examines the case of Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian far-right terrorist who killed 77 people in 2011. Breivik's primary engagement with extremist ideology came through online forums and blogs focused on anti-Muslim and anti-feminist ideas.
Before his attack, Breivik wrote a 1,500-page manifesto outlining his worldview, which continues to circulate in dark corners of the web. His case illustrates how the internet allows isolated individuals to construct entire ideological frameworks and become radicalized without ever meeting like-minded people in person.
The Slippery Slope of Online Pornography
The Dark Net is perhaps most infamous as a haven for illicit pornography. Bartlett explores how the internet's interconnected nature can lead users down a dangerous path from mainstream adult content to illegal material.
Legal porn sites often feature an overwhelming array of links and pop-ups leading to other sites. Users who follow these breadcrumbs may find themselves venturing into increasingly taboo territory, potentially culminating in illegal content involving children or animals.
A 2013 study by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation found that 90% of adults who accessed illegal pornography sites claimed to have done so unintentionally. However, it's difficult for law enforcement to verify such claims, as they could simply be excuses from genuine offenders.
Bartlett interviews a man called "Michael" who was arrested for viewing child pornography. Michael described how he started with conventional porn before gradually transitioning to videos of young teens and eventually explicit content featuring children. This progression illustrates how online pornography can stimulate escalating desires for more extreme material.
According to Professor Richard Wortley of the Crime Science Institute of London, the appeal of taboo content lies both in the youth of those depicted and the forbidden nature of the material itself. The adrenaline rush of engaging with something illegal can heighten the viewer's excitement, creating a dangerous feedback loop.
Pro-Anorexia and Suicide Communities
Some of the most controversial online communities revolve around self-harm and eating disorders. The Dark Net provides spaces for people to openly discuss topics that are often taboo in mainstream society.
One early example was the Usenet group alt.suicide.holiday, created in 1991 to support people contemplating suicide during the holidays. While highly controversial, such forums can serve a productive purpose by giving deeply depressed individuals an outlet to discuss their struggles.
Bartlett interviews a man named Gerard who credits suicide forums with saving his life by providing a space to talk about problems that no one in his everyday life wanted to hear about. This highlights the complex nature of these communities - while they may normalize harmful behaviors, they can also offer vital support to isolated individuals.
The late 1990s saw the emergence of pro-anorexia (or "pro-ana") websites that frame anorexia as a lifestyle choice rather than a dangerous illness. These sites encourage members to set extreme weight loss goals and offer tips for hiding their behavior from concerned family members.
A 2012 study by Dr. Emma Bond found 400-500 dedicated pro-ana sites and blogs, which in turn link to thousands of smaller blogs. Alarmingly, an EU study that same year found that at least 10% of young teenagers had visited a pro-ana site.
Bartlett recounts the story of Amelia, who joined a pro-ana community at age 13. By 16, she was so malnourished she could barely walk and had to be hospitalized against her will to begin recovery. Her case illustrates the very real dangers these online communities can pose to vulnerable young people.
The Online Drug Trade
The Dark Net has transformed the illegal drug trade, moving transactions from seedy street corners to the comfort of people's homes. Bartlett explores the rise and fall of Silk Road, an online black market that operated from 2011 to 2013.
Silk Road stood out for its professionalism and security measures. The site was only accessible through the anonymizing Tor browser and required all transactions to use the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Users were encouraged to use pseudonyms, and all communications were encrypted and automatically deleted after being read.
By July 2013, at least 150,000 customers had done business through Silk Road. The site's robust security made it extremely difficult for law enforcement to penetrate. FBI agents resorted to making undercover purchases in hopes of tracking down vendors who might lead them to the site's administrators.
Finally, in October 2013, the FBI arrested Silk Road's creator, 29-year-old Ross Ulbricht. The site was shut down... but only temporarily. Within a month, an improved version called Silk Road 2.0 was up and running.
This game of cat-and-mouse between law enforcement and online drug markets illustrates the resilience of the Dark Net economy. As soon as one site is taken down, new ones emerge to take its place, often with enhanced security features.
The Democratization of Pornography
The rise of webcams and streaming technology has dramatically transformed the pornography industry. In the past, porn production required significant resources and industry connections. Today, anyone with a webcam can become an amateur porn performer from the privacy of their own home.
Bartlett examines the popular camming site Chaturbate, which hosts hundreds of amateur models performing live shows throughout the day. Viewers purchase tokens to tip performers in exchange for specific acts or more revealing content. The site takes a 60% cut of token sales but provides performers with a platform to build their brand and customer base.
This democratization of porn production has led to a much wider variety of body types and performances being represented. Unlike the idealized physiques common in mainstream porn, cam models come in all shapes and sizes. Shows range from couples having casual sex to naked guitar playing to people simply lounging around nude.
The appeal seems to lie in the authenticity and variety of amateur content. A 2013 New York Times article estimated that camming had grown into a billion-dollar industry, capturing about 20% of the pornography market. The field has become so lucrative that many performers can support themselves working just an hour a day.
This shift reflects broader trends of democratization and disintermediation enabled by the internet. Just as platforms like YouTube allow anyone to become a content creator, camming sites have eliminated the gatekeepers of the traditional porn industry.
The Rise of Cryptocurrencies
One of the most transformative developments to emerge from the Dark Net is the creation of decentralized digital currencies like Bitcoin. Bartlett traces the origins of this technology to the cypherpunk movement of the 1990s, which sought to use encryption and computer code as tools for social change.
An early attempt at digital currency came from cryptographer David Chaum, who developed a system called DigiCash in the 90s. It assigned unique numbers to units of currency that could be transferred online. However, it relied on a central ledger to prevent duplication, making it vulnerable to attack or manipulation.
The breakthrough came in 2008 with the introduction of Bitcoin by an anonymous developer using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin uses a decentralized ledger called the blockchain to securely record all transactions without relying on any central authority.
The blockchain is continuously updated and verified by the computers of all Bitcoin users, making it extremely difficult to tamper with. This allows Bitcoin to function as a secure, independent currency beyond the control of any government or financial institution.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have profound implications for the future of money and economic systems. They offer the potential for more privacy in financial transactions and could serve as a check against government monetary policies. However, they also pose challenges for law enforcement in tracking illegal transactions and raise concerns about tax evasion.
The Cypherpunk Vision
Bartlett concludes by reflecting on the broader significance of the Dark Net and the technologies it has spawned. He sees it as the culmination of the cypherpunk movement's vision - using encryption and decentralized systems to carve out spaces for privacy and freedom in the digital realm.
While the Dark Net enables many harmful and illegal activities, it also serves as a haven for political dissidents, whistleblowers, and others seeking to evade surveillance or censorship. Technologies pioneered in the Dark Net, like the Tor browser and cryptocurrencies, are increasingly being adopted in the mainstream as people become more conscious of online privacy.
The author argues that the existence of the Dark Net forces us to grapple with fundamental questions about the nature of freedom, privacy, and identity in the digital age. How much anonymity should people be allowed online? To what extent should governments be able to monitor digital communications? How do we balance personal liberty with public safety?
These are complex issues with no easy answers. But as technology continues to advance and reshape society, the tensions illuminated by the Dark Net will only become more pressing. Understanding this hidden side of the internet is crucial for navigating the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly digital world.
Final Thoughts
"The Dark Net" offers a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of the internet's shadowy underbelly. Bartlett's firsthand reporting and interviews bring to life the colorful cast of characters who inhabit this digital frontier - from trolls and cam girls to cypherpunks and drug dealers.
The book avoids simplistic moral judgments, instead examining how technology amplifies existing human tendencies - both good and bad. It raises important questions about how we can preserve the liberating potential of the internet while mitigating its capacity for harm.
Key takeaways include:
The anonymity of the internet can bring out cruel and antisocial behavior in otherwise normal people.
Extremist ideologies find fertile ground to spread in the echo chambers of the Dark Net.
The interconnected nature of the web can lead users down dangerous paths, as seen with online pornography.
Controversial online communities around topics like suicide and eating disorders have complex effects, offering both support and potential harm.
The Dark Net has revolutionized illegal markets, making drugs and other illicit goods more accessible.
New technologies like webcams and cryptocurrencies are reshaping industries and challenging existing power structures.
The Dark Net embodies a tension between freedom and security that will be central to shaping the future of the internet.
Ultimately, "The Dark Net" reveals that this hidden side of the web is not separate from the rest of the internet or society - it's a reflection and amplification of human nature in all its complexity. Understanding it is crucial for anyone seeking to comprehend the digital world we now inhabit.
As we continue to grapple with issues of online privacy, freedom of information, and the societal impacts of technology, the lessons and questions raised by the Dark Net will only become more relevant. Bartlett's exploration provides a valuable foundation for thinking critically about these vital issues.