If you are thinking that famous search engines like Yahoo and Google are enough to get all the information on the Internet, then you are wrong.
The “Visible Web” or “Surface Web” refers to the portion of the internet that search engines would index.
There are more than 5 billion pages, and you would be really surprised to know that it is 10 percent of the entire web.
The search engines can easily notice the surface web with the help of web crawlers, which index the website data, read it, and follow the links. 90 percent of the remaining internet is the deep web.
Differences between the Surface Web and the Deep Web
Embark on a digital knowledge trip by learning how the Surface Web differs from the Deep Web. This will help you use the internet with more confidence and safety.
#1. Surface Web
The surface web has been the main part of the WWW (World Wide Web) since the beginning of the first browser. The surface web provides all the information that is accessible via ordinary search engines.
This is the web part you are going to access at the time of reading an article on the websites, watching a cat, purchasing something from online sites, and watching a dance video on YouTube.
The Internet is really a big thing, and you really have no idea about it. Famous sites like Facebook and Google can be accessed through search engines without any problem.
They are all the surface web parts, and you should be aware of them. If you are finding anything on YouTube and other search engines, then it will surely come up under the surface web.
#2. Deep Web
The deep web is bigger than the surface web in terms of size. It stands in stark contrast to the surface web, which contains links that the best search engines cannot find.
The best example of deep web data would be the pin, which can help in accessing your bank account or your email account. Both of these would be accessible easily, and they require special attention.
The deep web is the part of the web that includes our financial records, medical records, social media files, and other vital information that we will never find on any search engine.
How is the Surface web different from the Deep Web?
The sites on the surface of the internet are mainly indexed for the search engines to locate, but the deep web is not indexed.
This is the only main difference between the deep and surface webs. You can still have a chance to access it.
You surely spend a lot of time on the deep web, but you are not aware of it. Examples of deep web sites are:
Companies vital databases and internal networks
Those websites that can help you get in with a username and password, like cloud and email service accounts, subscription-based online media-restricted sites, and banking sites.
- Government-related pages and education
- Dynamic content
- Safe Side
You should understand that it is very safe to use the surface web, as there are no restrictions imposed by the government or other security agencies.
Your web history and any transactions you are making online will be traced through your IP address.
Kindly do not bother about it as it is safe and secure, and it is just to confirm that you are not involved in any illegal activities.
But, on the other side, the scenario is totally different. The deep web is not as safe as the surface web, and it involves a lot of illegal activities, which are not acceptable in the actual world in which we are living.
You can also find lots of illegal products and criminal activities on the deep web. There are several drug dealers selling drugs online, and you should be alert while accessing the deep web.
You will undoubtedly spend a significant amount of time in jail if the security agencies discover this drug activity.
The deep web is full of unknown people, and lots of criminals are operating their activities from here.
Make sure you are not giving your personal information to anyone you meet on the site. Always be alert and active while going to access it.
It is completely legal to access the deep web with an anonymous browser like the Tor browser. It is a special anonymity browser that helps access deep web sites anonymously. There are many websites that you can find on the deep web that are not legal to access.
The Final Words
At last, if you want to be on the safe side, then go for the surface web. The Surface Web would give you the exact information you need and want.
But still, if you are in need of extra information, you can give the deep web a try. Always use a special browser for accessing the deep web, as it will help you a lot to maintain your anonymity.