Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Some insightful, detailed chapters. However, some are shallow and/or seemingly random .
Book should be titled 'The Gray Net' because it doesn't go all in and keeps near the safe shore of the 'normal www'. Still a cool read if you stick to the first chapters.
Book should be titled 'The Gray Net' because it doesn't go all in and keeps near the safe shore of the 'normal www'. Still a cool read if you stick to the first chapters.
3.5 ⭐️
Really interesting catalogue of the dark side of the internet. A little outdated in 2023 but still interesting to look back on as so much has changed in the landscape.
Would have loved a little less of the crypto stuff and a little more of the human interest side of things but that just personal preference
Really interesting catalogue of the dark side of the internet. A little outdated in 2023 but still interesting to look back on as so much has changed in the landscape.
Would have loved a little less of the crypto stuff and a little more of the human interest side of things but that just personal preference
The Dark Net is an accessible introduction to some less familiar parts of the Internet. It was strongest when interviewing members of various subcultures and forums and explaining firsthand how things worked. That said, I thought it had a number of frustrating weaknesses:
-In spite of being a book supposedly about the 'dark net," much of what's discussed in the book is readily accessible via standard browsers - pro-ana sites, camming, 4chan, etc.
-The chapter on camming and online sex work gets into some weird ideas about sex work and "who really has the power" that seem really old and unoriginal. He presents the fact that camming is (gasp) like actual work and not just about sex like it's some sort of surprising fact.
-The whole thing just feels very shallow. Half of the novelty seems to be "hey, you can do x online," which isn't really news to people who have been online for a while.
-In spite of being a book supposedly about the 'dark net," much of what's discussed in the book is readily accessible via standard browsers - pro-ana sites, camming, 4chan, etc.
-The chapter on camming and online sex work gets into some weird ideas about sex work and "who really has the power" that seem really old and unoriginal. He presents the fact that camming is (gasp) like actual work and not just about sex like it's some sort of surprising fact.
-The whole thing just feels very shallow. Half of the novelty seems to be "hey, you can do x online," which isn't really news to people who have been online for a while.
This was a bookclub pick, and I admit it wasn't one I would choose for myself. But I learned a lot and have continued to think about it past the last page. Easy to apply to our lives, as we live the net everyday. While excellently researched, I found the reading dry.
In this book “ The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld” by Jamie Bartlett we dive deep into the underbelly of the internet. Bartlett uses the word “Dark Net” to refer to something on the internet that is unpopular, sometimes grim, and sometimes creepy. This is not to be confused with the Deep Web which he includes with the “Dark Net.” We learn about internet trolls, Silk Road 2.0, Bitcoin, child pornography, Cam-girls, pro-anorexia websites, pro-suicide websites, the point of view of a online Neo-Nazi, Tor hidden services, and buying weed on the deep web. The thing that I liked about this book was on each subject Bartlett takes the point of view of most people going in on each subject, but once he learns about it he views become more opaque, in that there maybe shades of gray to the subject at hand. It is even possible that some people are actually living better lives because these things exist. I did not however like the last chapter where he talked to a primitive-anarchist and a transhumanist. I can somewhat see what he wanted to do with the subject, but it landed flat and was anti-climatic. My favorite part was near the end when discussing the pro-anorexia sites. The chapter was very touching and I could understand where some of the (mostly) girls were coming from. This is a fairly well written book and if you are interested in any of these topics I would recommend it to you. Also, I think in reading this book instead of searching for these things yourself, you are somewhat removed and it does creep you out as much as it must of for the author.
An interesting insight to the 'scary net'. Insightful and concise.
...much to think about (genuinely entertaining and thoughtful read that catches and holds your attention)
This book is nearly 10 years old and as I was reading it I kept thinking about how the internet and tech have advanced in such a short time, a lot of it I felt was out of date. Almost that there's nothing new to learn here.
The book covers Jamie's experiments on the web including trolling, extremist groups online, the start of crypto, online black markets, online child pornography, webcam porn, and online self-harm/pro-ana sites. A lot of this stuff has got more vastly out of control since he wrote about it and it's almost the norm to be reading about online crime in the media.
I'd be interested in an updated version of this book, how these things continue to proliferate, and what can be done to stop it.
The last chapter is more of a discussion on transhumanism rather than the "dark net" but raises some important topics about how the rise of technology is out of control. If the topics in this book feel out of date in just 10 years, imagine where we'll be in another 10, 20, 50 years...
The book covers Jamie's experiments on the web including trolling, extremist groups online, the start of crypto, online black markets, online child pornography, webcam porn, and online self-harm/pro-ana sites. A lot of this stuff has got more vastly out of control since he wrote about it and it's almost the norm to be reading about online crime in the media.
I'd be interested in an updated version of this book, how these things continue to proliferate, and what can be done to stop it.
The last chapter is more of a discussion on transhumanism rather than the "dark net" but raises some important topics about how the rise of technology is out of control. If the topics in this book feel out of date in just 10 years, imagine where we'll be in another 10, 20, 50 years...