Originally created by scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in May 1996, the deep web was designed as a system whereby users could access the Internet without divulging their identities to any Web servers or routers they might interact with along the way. The original idea was that such a system could be employed by police, military intelligence organizations, and the state department to be used as a means of covert communication. Unfortunately, the deep web, like many other government-created online projects, fell victim to unintended consequences at the hands of criminals.
Bitcoin technology and the Deep Web came to a critical juncture at online marketplace Silk Road. Silk Road, often thought of as a black market amazon, was launched in January 2011 by Ross Ulbricht. Complete with one-stop shopping, customer reviews, and even product review threads, Ulbricht's illegal marketplace aimed to provide the anonymity demanded by his clients through the use of a Bitcoin payment system. Ultimately, Silk Road was brought down by the FBI on October 1, 2013 [3]. Nevertheless, Ulbricht's arrest brought Bitcoin into the spotlight of the popular press for the first time and, thus introduced to millions across the world.
[3] Grossman & Small, 2013
[3] Grossman & Small, 2013
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