Prof. Dr. Burhan Pektaş: “Using the Dark Web in a lawful manner depends on the user.”

The Dark Web, a community of hidden websites accessible only with a special web browser, has been a highly debated topic recently. Stating that those who access the Dark Web must be prepared for the content they encounter, Prof. Dr. Burhan Pektaş warned, “You need to know that 95% of what you can see on this side of the internet is not legal. Using the Dark Web in a lawful manner depends on the user,” and provided information on its harms to children and how to protect them.

“Parents should take measures to protect their children from the Dark Web” 
Head of the Department of Bioinformatics Master's Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Prof. Dr. Burhan Pektaş made important statements about the dark side of the internet, the “Dark Web.” 
Dark Web is used to keep internet activity anonymous and private
Prof. Dr. Burhan Pektaş stated that the Dark Web, a community of hidden websites accessible only with a special web browser, is used to keep internet activity anonymous and private. “This privacy is useful for both legal and illegal activities. It is a part of the internet that allows people to hide their identities and locations from others and law enforcement. As a result, it can be used to sell stolen personal information. To access the Dark Web, browsers like Google Search or Safari cannot be used,” he said.  
You must be prepared for the content you encounter when entering the Dark Web
Pektaş stated that entering the Dark Web is not forbidden, describing the problematic situations as follows: “You can be redirected to illegal addresses within the Dark Web. If you enter a wrong address or if you are sent an invitation over the internet and engage in any activity on these addresses, you could find yourself in a criminal situation. When you enter the Dark Web, you must be prepared for the content you encounter, and you need to know that 95% of what you can see on this side of the internet is not legal. Many things are not legal, but since there are also legal parts, entering the Dark Web is not forbidden. Using the Dark Web in a lawful manner depends on the user.”

Does the Dark Web encourage individuals towards crime and addiction?

Prof. Dr. Burhan Pektaş pointed out that the Dark Web is mostly associated with illegal activities such as smuggling and data breaches. He said, “State institutions also use the Dark Web for sharing classified information and carrying out other positive activities. From this perspective, it would not be correct to say that the Dark Web encourages individuals towards crime. Just as the sale of cigarettes encourages people to smoke, it can be said that the Dark Web encourages individuals towards crime to that extent. Since its use is not forbidden, users of all age groups can use the Dark Web. On the other hand, while it is difficult to provide statistics about user groups due to the encrypted connection used by the software, it can generally be said that young people and middle-aged individuals prefer it.”

The Dark Web is definitely harmful to children 

Prof. Pektaş emphasized that children could fall into the hands of malicious individuals through the Dark Web, stating, “The Dark Web is definitely harmful to children. Therefore, parents need to take some measures to protect their children from the Dark Web. These measures, however simple they may seem, are just as effective. Of course, the foremost among them are security applications.” He concluded his remarks with the following recommendations: 
√    Prevent the use of browsers that can access the Dark Web 
√    Inform your children about security protocols 
√    Limit your children’s access to sensitive data 
√    Make sure to use antivirus software on your computers 
√    Increase your security measures and use cybersecurity applications