Summary: The dark web isn’t just for whistleblowers and privacy advocates; it’s a digital magnet for individuals with specific criminological traits. A new study analyzed a national sample of 1,750 adults to find out what separates dark web users from the rest of the internet.
The researchers found that while the platform has legitimate uses, it disproportionately attracts young, impulsive males with “deviant” social circles. Dark web users were nearly three times more likely to have a criminal record and scored significantly higher on measures of low self-control and favorable attitudes toward violence.
Key Facts
- The 3x Criminal Link: 33.6% of dark web users reported a prior criminal conviction, compared to just 12.6% of surface web users.
- Low Self-Control: Users of the hidden web scored much higher on impulsivity and risk-taking scales—traits traditionally linked to criminal behavior in the physical world.
- Peer Influence: Almost half of the link between low self-control and dark web use is explained by social learning—impulsive people hang out with “cyber-deviant” peers who teach them how to navigate the dark web.
- Troubling Attitudes: Dark web users expressed higher support for larceny, online deviance, and physical violence than those who stick to the “surface” web.
- Demographic Profile: The typical user identified in the study is younger, male, heterosexual, and, interestingly, more likely to have a higher level of education.
Source: FAU
The dark web is sometimes seen as a shadowy part of the internet, but it also has legitimate uses, including accessing censored information and sharing files securely. Its anonymity and privacy features, however, can make it appealing to those drawn to riskier or illicit online activity.
As interest in the dark web grows, researchers are taking a closer look at who accesses it. The platform creates conditions where motivated offenders, potential victims and little oversight converge, and traits like low self-control and peer influence may help explain who is drawn to it. Yet criminology-based studies comparing dark web and surface web users are scarce.
To help fill that gap, research from Florida Atlantic University and collaborators analyzed survey data collected from a national sample of 1,750 adults in the United States, examining whether factors such as prior criminal behavior, low self-control, deviant peer groups and attitudes toward crime are linked to self-reported dark web use.
The researchers first examined whether people who reported having a criminal record were more likely to have accessed the dark web. Next, they looked at self-control, assessing whether individuals with lower self-control – a trait tied to impulsive and risk-taking behavior – were more likely to use the platform.
Finally, they explored the role of social influences and attitudes by analyzing whether having more peers who engage in online deviance, as well as holding more favorable views toward rule-breaking and violence, were associated with dark web access.
Results of the study, published in the Journal of Crime and Justice, reveal clear differences between dark web users and surface web users across each of the criminological factors examined.
About one-third of dark web users reported a prior criminal conviction – nearly three times the rate of surface web users (33.6% vs. 12.6%). They also scored significantly higher on measures of low self-control, peer cyber deviance, and criminal attitudes, including support for larceny, online deviance, and especially concerning, physical violence against others.
Across all models, being male and being younger were also linked to a higher likelihood of dark web use, with some models also suggesting that being heterosexual and having more education is also associated with dark web use.
Overall, these findings suggest that past criminal behavior, impulsiveness, social influences and favorable attitudes toward deviance all play a role in who chooses to access the dark web, providing strong empirical support for criminological theories in this digital context.
“It’s important to be clear: accessing the dark web is not inherently deviant or illegal, and it supports many legitimate activities, from private communication to accessing censored information,” said Ryan C. Meldrum, Ph.D., senior author and director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice within FAU’s College of Social Work and Criminal Justice.
“What our research shows, however, is that the platform also tends to attract some individuals whose behavioral, social and attitudinal profiles resemble those involved in criminal activity. In this sense, the dark web is a risky digital environment – one that can facilitate crime and increase the likelihood of victimization, all while operating under limited law enforcement oversight.”
Supplemental analyses from the study reveal that social learning factors may help explain why low self-control links to dark web access. Specifically, nearly half of the connection between low self-control and using the platform appears to be explained through the peers individuals associate with and the attitudes they form. This suggests that people with lower self-control may select peers who reinforce risky or deviant behaviors and attitudes, giving them the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the dark web.
The study underscores the need for further research into the small but important subpopulation of internet users who access the dark web, particularly those with the intent to engage in illicit activities.
“As the internet continues to evolve, understanding who accesses the dark web and why is critical,” Meldrum said. “Our study points to the importance of balancing awareness of potential risks with recognition of the legitimate, everyday uses of these hidden online spaces.”
Study co-authors are Raymond D. Partin, Ph.D., Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Alabama; and Peter S. Lehmann, Ph.D., Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University.
Key Questions Answered:
A: Absolutely not. As senior author Ryan C. Meldrum points out, the dark web supports many legitimate activities, like accessing news in censored countries or private communication. However, the study shows that the anonymity of the space tends to attract people who already have a “behavioral profile” for risk-taking and rule-breaking.
A: Navigating the dark web requires a bit of “tech-know-how” (like using Tor or VPNs). People with low self-control often seek out friends who are already breaking digital rules. These peers act as “tour guides,” providing the social reinforcement and technical skills needed to enter these hidden spaces.
A: The data suggests a correlation. This may be because the dark web requires a certain level of digital literacy to access safely. It’s a “risky environment” that appeals to those who have the intellectual tools to navigate it but perhaps lack the impulse control to stay away from its more illicit corners.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this psychology research news
Author: Gisele Galoustian
Source: FAU
Contact: Gisele Galoustian – FAU
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Closed access.
“The role of criminal history, low self-control, and sociallearning variables in accessing the Dark Web” by Tommi Väyrynen, Johanna Tuunanen, Heta Helakari, Ahmed Elabasy, Vesa Korhonen, Niko Huotari, Johanna Piispala, Mika Kallio, Maiken Nedergaard, and Vesa Kiviniemi. Journal of Crime and Justice
DOI:10.1080/0735648X.2026.2621153
Abstract
The role of criminal history, low self-control, and sociallearning variables in accessing the Dark Web
The Dark Web has emerged as an important topic of study given that the platform can facilitate criminal behavior.
Recently, social scientists have started to examine the behavioral and psychosocial profiles of individuals who access the Dark Web and how they differ from those who do not. Yet, further development of this line of inquiry is warranted given the limited number of criminolgically oriented studies examining the traits, social relationships, and attitudes that may drive self-selection onto the Dark Web.
To this end, we analyzed survey data collected on a national sample of U.S. adults (N = 1,750) to investigate whether prior criminal behavior, low self-control, deviant peers, and criminal attitudes are associated with self-reported Dark Web access.
In support of our hypotheses, a series of bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that individuals who report accessing the Dark Web are statistically significantly more likely to have a criminal history, be lower in self-control, associate with more peers who engage in cyber deviance, and hold attitudes more favorable toward larceny, violence, and cyber deviance.
Considering these findings, criminologists are encouraged to bring the study of the Dark Web out of the periphery and prioritize it as a research focus.
