# Reading Response Set 1

# 10/13 The battle for the dark net

The dark net is a part of the internet that contains a number of websites and other resources that are often unavailable through normal network channels because it’s illegal. The use of the dark web is mainly for illegal purposes such as stealing identities, selling body parts, child abuse content, and more harmful things. So what is Tor? Tor is used to access the dark web and offers animosity between the website and the visitor. The way that Tor works is that there are about 6,000 relays routing traffic through the network and those relays are located all across the world (Jordan,2015) this makes it quite difficult to be able to trace back which is why people also give up bandwidth because they not that the more there are the harder it is to track someone eventually and they want to maintain it as anonymous as possible. Relays are also known as routers that receive network traffic through them some of these are entry, middle, and exit (Jordan,2015). Bitcoin coin on the other hand is another technology that the darknet is dependent on It is used to make transactions (digital transactions) within the web like the digital apples (Nick,2013). Bitcoin anonymity and “hidden transactions” is what makes it the number one way for people to make transactions in the dark net. This is also a way where people can hide their identity which is why its used so much.

# 10/16 multiple choice questions

1. A digital hash of content is like:

A person’s records
A person’s medical records
A person’s signature/identity
A person’s social media account

ANSWER(C) because a digital hash of content is like a person fingerprint meaning a person identity.

2) Is Bitcoin anonymous?

No, because all sales and transactions are public
Yes, because Blockchain transactions are recorded on a private, distributed ledger
No, because Bitcoin is made by the government
Yes, because all sales and transactions are private

ANSWER(A) bitcoin transactions are made through a public distributed ledger meaning that they are traceable and public.

Short/ Essay questions

3. What is the difference between the dark net and the deep web?

The dark web is a part of the deep web. The deep web is more accessible then the dark web and is based on private recors such as medical records, research papers and pro networks whereas the dark web is where illegal trasactions are made and involves a much harder process to be able to access it such as private browsers, specific configurations and more.

4. What is DNS and what does it do? How is it connected with the IP?

DNS stands for Domain Name System, it translates the IP address into the hostname allowing devices to be able to communicate that are linked within the same network. The IP then handles addressing and routing.

# 10/24 Shaped
Social media has its good and its bad depending on the type of person who’s using it. Social media can be a very dark place, it’s the place where many people build the courage to be rude, to say dirty things and comments about other people and the reason why they build this courage is because they’re on the other side of the screen and not saying it face to face to a person. Growing up I wasn’t allowed to have social media but my friends who did would always be depressed and it would be what their life centered on. People would make fake accounts to bash my friends or even just text her how “bad” she looked and it really upset me because a lot of this was affecting her mental health. Having the feeling that you can be “anonymous” online has created/influenced a lot of people to cyberbully and act out and say whatever is on their minds because they know there won’t be any consequences.

Social media has had a huge impact on the way a lot of people see themselves. Social media has made it possible for us to believe that for us to look good we have to look a certain way and that isn’t true. It has unrealistic beauty standards and it is the fault of many influencers who try to make it seem like they are perfect and don’t normalize the beauty of “flaws” and those who shame those who proudly show who they are and do not care what the unrealistic standards are. People’s self-esteem is affected because they start comparing themselves to other people and they start feeling bad about themselves. More than 2,000 young Americans who were the focus of the research, revealed that individuals who spend more time online are more prone to experience narcissism, anxiety, and depression. (Yara,2023) social media itself has become a perfect platform for narcissists to seek attention and only think of themselves regardless if anyone else is hurt. The way that social media has an effect on narcissism, depression, and anxiety other than beauty standards a lot of people think that followers and likes measure one’s value or success as a person and it doesnt it couldn’t be more wrong.