Who uses the dark web? Cross-national and longitudinal evidence on psychosocial, behavioral, and individual predictors

Abstract

The dark web is known for illicit and unregulated content, making it crucial to gain a better understanding of dark web users. This article reports two studies analyzing the role of psychosocial well-being, problematic online behaviors, personality traits, and institutional trust in dark web use. Study 1 utilized cross-sectional data from 18 to 75-year-old respondents from six European countries. Dark web use was examined in relation to psychological distress, social belonging, excessive social media use, online identity bubbles, and institutional trust. In Study 2, the associations were scrutinized using longitudinal survey data from Finnish respondents aged 18 to 75, expanding the focus to problem gambling and personality traits. Logistic regression models were used for the analyses. In Study 1, excessive social media use, involvement in online bubbles, poor social relationships, and male gender were associated with dark web use across European countries. Country differences were found regarding institutional trust, psychological distress, and sociodemographic factors. The results of Study 2 supported the findings regarding excessive online use and showed that gambling problems and certain personality traits predicted dark web use. The dark web attracts excessive online users and those burdened with psychosocial issues, as well as individuals with certain personality traits.