In fact, there are many other browsers that can access the dark web. The Tor Browser enables this access to the dark web, although it can also access the regular so-called visible web too. It exists on “darknets,” which are overlays that you need specific tools or authorization to access. In a nutshell, Tor enables access to the “dark web.” While the dark web gets some bad press (namely due to illegal activity), there is plenty of good too, as we’ll discuss. Initiatives and collaborations such as “Five Eyes,” PRISM, and others worry some users to the point where they may fear for their own safety, making online anonymity a primary concern. Leaks from whistleblowers such as Edward Snowden and Wikileaks in the 2010s shows that global web surveillance among countries is high.

There’s now enough concern from users about information privacy for the Tor Browser to need to exist. The history of internet privacy and security is long, convoluted, and complex. In the next section, we’ll talk more about why it’s an important mainstay to know about.

While lots of its services have come and gone, such as Tor Messenger, the browser is a mainstay. The “ dark web” fills many roles, and in situations where a user must remain anonymous in order to spread a message, the Tor network and browser can be central. While you might find some of those users come to the network in order to conceal illegal activity, there’s a subjective interpretation to this. We’ll talk more about this later on, but for now, just know that the whole network helps to keep anonymous pipelines open for many different users. The Tor Project fulfills the role of safeguarding anonymity across the global internet. In fact, funding for Tor comes from some sources you wouldn’t expect, such as the U.S.

It has ties to other organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and has received support from developers at Mozilla, producers of the open-source browser Firefox. It’s a non-profit organization that oversees the different elements in the network. The entire project covers a whole array of tools, networks, and other related services. Tor - shorthand for “The Onion Router” - is more than just a browser.

How safe is tor