Beyond the surface of digital websites
As the digital world continues to grow at a staggering pace, hundreds of thousands of new websites are launched every day. According to DigitalSilks, by November 2024, there were around 1.1 billion websites globally, of which only 200 million are actively maintained. Incredibly, about 252 000 new websites are created daily.But what most people don’t realise is that these visible sites make up just a small slice of the wider internet.
The World Wide Web is actually made up of three layers: the surface web, the deep web, and the dark web.
Most of us spend our time on the surface web. This includes everything easily found via search engines like Google: news sites, blogs, social media, and online shops. But beyond that lies the deep web, which makes up around 90–96% of the internet. This hidden layer includes things like your email inbox, online banking, academic databases, and private business tools, anything that’s protected by a password or otherwise not indexed by search engines.
Within the deep web is a much smaller, but more secretive, layer called the dark web. Accessing it requires special software, such as Tor, and it’s well-known for its association with criminal activity. From stolen data to illegal goods, the dark web can be a marketplace for dangerous content. Transactions are usually done using cryptocurrencies to protect anonymity.
That said, the dark web isn’t all bad. It also provides a secure space for journalists, activists, and whistleblowers who need to communicate anonymously in restrictive environments. It was designed to prioritise privacy, which is both its strength and its biggest risk.
While the dark web offers legitimate uses, it also poses serious cybersecurity threats. Whether you’re an individual or a business, protecting your digital presence is vital. Experts recommend using tools like a VPN, strong encryption (such as PGP), trusted browsers, and avoiding suspicious or unverified sites.
Staying informed and cautious is key to navigating the digital world safely, both on the surface and beyond.