Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 132
•
Trim: 6½ x 9¼
978-1-5381-2093-4 • Hardback • September 2019 • $40.00 • (£30.00)
978-1-5381-2094-1 • eBook • September 2019 • $38.00 • (£30.00)
Matthew Beckstrom was born and raised in Montana. He received an Associate’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Montana, and then later, a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Montana State University. After working in various technology jobs, he finally settled into the job of systems manager at the Lewis & Clark Library in Helena in 1999. In 2012, he received his Master’s degree in Information Science from the University of North Texas after receiving a grant from the Montana State Library to attend library school.
Brady Lund is a PhD student at Emporia State University’s School of Library and Information Management. He holds a Master's of Library Science from Emporia State and a Bachelor’s in Communication Science and Disorders from Wichita State University. He has previously published articles in several major Library and Information Science Journals on topics ranging from information security to knowledge organization and initially presented on the topic of the dark web at the 2017 American Library Association Annual Conference.
Chapter 1 - What is the Dark Web?
What is the dark web?
Ways to access the dark web
What is the value of the dark web?
What can it do for me?
Chapter 2 - History of the Internet and Dark Web
Beginner’s overview of Information Theory
Basic history of the Internet
Understanding privacy needs on the early Internet
From the deep web to the dark web
Freenet
I2P
Tor
Chapter 3 - How It Works: The Dark Details
Introduction
Understanding the Internet
The Dark Web
Chapter 4 - Distinguishing Fact from Fiction: Is the Dark Web Really Dark?
How do we define the dark web?
Myth 1: The Dark Web is the place where terrorists go to buy weapons and plan attacks
Myth 2: The Dark Web is mostly a marketplace for illicit drugs
Myth 3: The Dark Web has no value to an “upstanding” citizen
Myth 4: It is illegal to use the Dark Web
Myth 5: The dark web will steal my personal information
Myth 6: I need to buy some special hardware or software in order to use the dark web
Some prominent reports on the dark web
Chapter 5 - How to Access the Dark Web
How to Install Tor
How to Install Freenet
How to Install I2P
Similarities and Differences Between Platforms
How to Choose Which Platform to Use
Is Installing the Dark Web Legal?
Should I Let My Child Download the Dark Web?
Chapter 6 - How to Browse Using the Dark Web
How to Browse Tor
How to Browse Freenet
How to Browse I2P
Brief History of Dark Websites
Major Dark Websites
Chapter 7 - Addressing Legal and Ethical Concerns
History of legal and ethical issues on the dark web
Examples of the illegal content on the dark web
How to avoid illegal content on the dark web
Limiting others’ access of illegal content on the dark web
Can the dark web be “taken down” and why you should care
Chapter 8 - Research and Advocacy on the Dark Web
Dark web research
Infrastructure
Advocacy
Financial opportunity
Chapter 9 - Your Future With the Dark Web
A Tale of Internet Past
The big pitch
Final Words
The End
Recommended: Casting Light on the Dark Web is both a concise, readable guide to the dark web and an attempt by Beckstrom and Lund to dispel the negative image of the dark web often presented in the media. The authors meet both of these goals, offering a solid primer on the history of the internet and dark web, basic technical information for accessing and browsing the dark web, and legal and ethical issues. . . [Beckstrom and Lund] provide timely, basic information that will be helpful for nonspecialists seeking to learn more about this often misunderstood sector of the internet.— Choice Reviews
For those who think of the dark web as inherently malign, this concise and informative primer will set them straight. Armed with masters degrees in, respectively, information and library science, Beckstrom and Lund set out to provide a “no-bull guide to the dark web,” starting by clarifying that calling this loose-knit group of specially-accessed websites dark doesn’t connote nefarious purposes, but user anonymity—a potentially desirable quality for political dissidents, whistle-blowers, and people simply concerned with online privacy. The authors explore the three major browsers available—Freenet, I2P, and Tor (the most popular)—and provide guidance for accessing and downloading all three, security tips, and helpful screen grabs. They also debunk six common myths about their subject—such as “the dark web is mostly a marketplace for illicit drugs” or “it is illegal to use the dark web—and cover how to avoid illegal activity on the dark web and what to do if one does encounter it (in general, call or email the FBI). Readers will immediately note how the book is structured—each chapter is self-contained, with its own table of contents and bibliography—a somewhat unusual but effective organizing principle aimed at usability. Beckstrom and Lund’s smart and well-informed guide makes a clear case for the dark web’s benefits and dispels associated myths.— Publishers Weekly
This is a concise and clear introduction to an important aspect of the Internet that is often glossed over or demonized. The authors describe both the dark web's important advantages for truly private communication, and its undeniable downsides. It is a valuable tool, especially for libraries considering whether to provide their users with access to dark web applications.
— Technical Services Quarterly
At once a history, a primer, a recipe book and an ethical advisory, Casting Light on the Dark Web: A Guide for Safe Exploration dispels the myths about the anonymous web and provides reliable guidelines for using the various dark web platforms to enhance user privacy and security in libraries and beyond.— Deborah Caldwell-Stone, interim director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read
10/3/2019: Author Brady Lund makes the case for the dark web in libraries in this Field Report for Library Journal.Link: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=Using-the-Dark-Web-in-Libraries-Field-Reports6/4/2019: Get ready for the American Library Association's 2019 conference with Library Journal's curated list of can't-miss events, featuring Casting Light on the Dark Web co-author Brady Lund speaking on June 23rd!Find out more: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=On-the-Hill-ALA-Preview-2019