When it first decided to list, it was aiming for a valuation of more than $15 billion but whether that will hold or not is another matter. A lot of IPO valuations have dropped significantly over the last two years given market conditions, so it’s likely Reddit’s valuation will be revised prior to listing. Several firms were listed in the second half of 2023, sparking hope that the IPO market had recovered. Most of those companies—including Klaviyo, Instacart and ARM—are currently trading below their initial listing price.
But the most common and lucrative trade on the Silk Road was for drugs — by 2013, 70% of the products for sale on the Silk Road were drugs. The blackout is slated to last 48 hours, from Monday, June 12, to Wednesday, June 14. However, moderators of subreddits like r/iPhones have vowed to go dark indefinitely until “a reasonable resolution is proposed,” The Verge reported.
Exploring the Connection Between Reddit and the Dark Web
The term dark web often evokes intrigue, curiosity, and sometimes fear. It refers to a part of the internet that requires specific software to access, like Tor, and is not indexed by conventional search engines.
In his introductory post, Huffman told users “we respect when you and your communities take action to highlight the things you need, including, at times, going private.” In October, on the morning the new policy was rolled out, Ashooh sat at a long conference table with a dozen other employees. Before each of them was a laptop, a mug of coffee, and a few hours’ worth of snacks. Community stays in touch with a cross-section of redditors, asking them for feedback and encouraging them to be on their best behavior. When this fails and redditors break the rules, trust and safety punishes them.
On the other hand, Reddit is a public forum known for its vast array of topics and communities, commonly referred to as “subreddits.” Despite their differing natures, there are noteworthy intersections between the two.
At the time, Facebook was available only to college students, and before joining it you had to provide your real name, your birthday, and a valid school e-mail address—the equivalent of being carded at the door. To join Reddit, all you needed was a username that hadn’t been claimed yet. You could start as many anonymous accounts as you wanted, which gave rise to creativity, and also to mischief. It might be most helpful to compare a social network to a party. The party starts out small, with the hosts and a few of their friends. Mimosas in a sun-dappled atrium suggest one kind of mood; grain alcohol in a moldy basement suggests another.
Understanding the Dark Web
The dark web is often associated with illegal activities, including:
- Drug trafficking
- Illegal weapons sales
- Stolen data and hacking services
- Human trafficking
Huffman characterized the Reddit protesters as a small but vocal cadre of angry users who are not in touch with the greater Reddit community. Such apps would need to charge about $5 (£4) a user each month simply to pay the new fees to Reddit, Apollo’s sole developer, Christian Selig, has estimated. In response to a request for comment, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt drew attention to the “efficiency” of certain third-party Reddit apps – that is, how often they use the company’s API. “Some apps are more efficient (and require significantly less API calls),” said Rathschmidt, adding, “Apollo is notably less efficient than other third-party apps.” Both OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, and Google, which makes a similar chatbot called Bard, use Reddit data to train their systems. The protest is over how the company plans to reshuffle pricing for its application programming interface, or API, which is the code that allows third parties to build apps.
However, it also serves as a platform for legitimate purposes such as:
Among these items are hacking utilities, stolen banking info, and compromised credentials. While not the biggest dark web marketplace for hackers, it’s still not a bad idea to monitor this site due to its continued growth. The emergence of Telegram as a new dark web frontier also partly explains the revenue reductions in traditional dark web marketplaces. Threat actors and aspiring cybercriminals have been flocking to Telegram channels and groups hoping to benefit from even better anonymity and default end-to-end encryption.
- Whistleblowing
- Privacy-focused communications
- Protection for individuals in repressive regimes
Products
Reddit’s Role in Dark Web Discussions
Although Reddit itself doesn’t host dark web content, it has numerous subreddits dedicated to discussions about it. These communities feature:
- Guides on how to access the dark web
- Information about using tools like Tor and VPNs
- Discussions about the moral and ethical implications of the dark web
Some popular subreddits related to the dark web include:
- r/DarkNetMarkets – focuses on reviews and discussions of marketplaces.
- r/Tor – dedicated to information on the Tor browser and its usage.
- r/OnGuardOnline – provides safety tips around online activities.
Safety and Risks
Engagement in dark web discussions on Reddit does pose risks. Users should be aware of:
- Scams and fraudulent offers
- Legal consequences of accessing certain websites
- Exposure to harmful content
It’s essential for users to practice safety measures like:
- Using reliable VPN services
- Avoiding sharing personal information
- Being cautious with clickable links
FAQs About Reddit and the Dark Web
1. What is the dark web?
The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by standard search engines, requiring special software for access. It hosts both illegal and legitimate activities.
2. Can I access the dark web through Reddit?
While Reddit doesn’t facilitate direct access, many subreddits provide information and discussions related to navigating the dark web.
- Metrics record slightly more than 60,000 unique .onion addresses.
- As a matter of fact it turned out being the exact same botnet that an audacious Reddit user of possible German origin named “throwaway236236” described in a very popular I Am A thread you can read here.
- Instead of a chatbot like ChatGPT or Bard, the project aims to create a tool to analyze data sets and answer specific queries.
3. Is discussing the dark web on Reddit illegal?
Discussing the dark web itself is not illegal, but promoting illegal activities or seeking them out can lead to legal repercussions.
4. What should I be cautious of when exploring the dark web?
Be wary of scams, potential legal issues, and the risk of encountering malicious or harmful content.
Conclusion
The intersection of Reddit and the dark web presents a complex landscape ripe for exploration. While there are valuable resources and discussions, potential users should navigate with caution and be aware of the inherent risks involved.
