MOSCOW, December 31 (Sputnik) – A study by the UK University of Portsmouth shows that 83 percent of "dark net" internet traffic relates to websites containing child abuse material, Wired magazine has reported.
According to the study obtained by the magazine, child sexual abuse content represents no more than two percent of the 45,000 hidden online services provided through the Tor Project but it accounts for 83 percent of all visits.
Dark net is a private network where connections can only be made between trusted peers and all materials are hidden from standard search engines. The Tor Project allows Internet users to hide their locations whilst offering different kind of services, including web publishing and messaging.
"Before we did this study, it was certainly my view that the dark net is a good thing," one of the authors of the study Gareth Owen told Wired. "But it's hampering the rights of children and creating a place where pedophiles can act with impunity."
Owen added that the study revealed most of the websites were so "explicit" that included "pedo" in names of the sites, according to the newspaper.
Earlier in December, more than 30 countries took part in the #WeProtectChildrenOnline summit in London and agreed to increase law enforcement agencies' ability to track more pedophiles, to help more victims and to set up national databases of child sex abuse materials, which connect with Interpol databases.
