Dark Net

A 19-year-old, who sells nearly a ton of drugs from his parents’ living room…whistleblowers, who under cover of anonymity transmit explosive information…people, who out of curiosity purchase counterfeit money online. All of this can be found on the dark net. What does this parallel world look like? Is the dark net good, bad or something in between? Who is looking for protection in digital anonymity? The dark net is polarizing and confusing. Many people find it just as frightening as it is alluring. At some point, journalist Stefan Mey wanted to draw his own picture. And that’s how he found out just how easy it is to get “in.” In a few seconds, the anonymizing Tor Browser that opens the gateway to a digital parallel world is installed. He quickly realized how much of the information swirling around the dark net are myths and how little real knowledge exists. This inspired him to unlock the secrets of this difficult-to-explore place. Mey sought out researchers and combed through dozens of scientific studies of the dark net for viable conclusions. Via secure channels and complex initiation processes, Mey sought out conversations with people from the “dark” side of the dark net. His book will satisfy the curiosity of a broad audience as well as appeal to the IT professional. Stefan Mey is a freelance journalist. He has written about the dark net for Heute.de, the youth magazine Fluter.de, Spektrum der Wissenschaft magazine, the IT news sites Heise Online and Golem, the medical industry magazine Deutsches Ärzteblatt, as well as the political magazine Le Monde Diplomatique. Through his investigative research, he has been able to provide deep insight into the reality, contradictions, and potential of the dark net beyond what any other journalist has accomplished to date.