The Silk Road - Anonymous Deepnet Marketplace
Written for Online Communities at UMSI, April 2013

Cartoon Credit: The Economist

Abstract

The Silk Road is an anonymous marketplace for contraband that can only be accessed through the Deep Web and functions through implementation careful security measures including the use of Bitcoins as its only currency. Buyers and sellers create trust the site by rating one another and the site supports a trusting environment with an escrow system to hedge transactions. Users can also interact in a separate forum where Silk Road culture can be seen. Though the site has received mixed reactions from the media these articles have caused the site to grow. Many governments have targeted the Silk Road and attacks have been made against it. Throughout, the marketplace has continued to expand and increase its security measures, making it the most popular online market for drugs.

Click here to read this paper

Approximate reading time is 18 minutes (5570 words)
Cara Tip: Pick the sections you are interested in! Each is about a 1-2 minute read.