Deep web definition
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Deep Web Definition and Key Characteristics
The deep web, also known as the deepnet, invisible web, or hidden web, refers to all online content that is not indexed by standard search engines like Google or Bing. This means that the information found on the deep web cannot be accessed through typical search queries and is not visible in regular search results 1346789.
Deep Web vs. Surface Web
The internet is often described as having layers. The "surface web" is the top layer, which includes all the web pages that are indexed and easily accessible through search engines. In contrast, the deep web consists of content that lies beneath this surface and is not indexed, making it inaccessible to standard web crawlers 13478910. Examples of deep web content include pages behind login forms, dynamic pages generated from databases, and content that requires specific queries to access 28910.
How Deep Web Content Is Accessed
Deep web data is often stored in databases and only becomes available when a user submits a specific search or query, such as filling out a form on a website. This content is not stored as static pages, so search engine crawlers cannot find or index it 28910. For example, when you search for a business in an online directory, the results are generated dynamically from a database and are not part of the surface web .
Size and Value of the Deep Web
The deep web is much larger than the surface web. Estimates suggest that the deep web contains hundreds of times more data than the surface web, with billions of documents and terabytes of information that are highly valuable and often more comprehensive than what is found on the surface web 78910. Much of this content is stored in topic-specific databases and is evaluated by experts, making it a rich source of information for researchers, businesses, and consumers 89.
Deep Web vs. Dark Web
It is important to distinguish between the deep web and the dark web. The dark web is a small part of the deep web that is intentionally hidden and often associated with anonymous activities, both legal and illegal. The deep web, however, includes a wide range of content, much of which is legal and useful, such as academic databases, private forums, and subscription services 157.
Conclusion
In summary, the deep web encompasses all online content that is not indexed by standard search engines, including dynamic database-driven pages, private information, and other hidden resources. It is vastly larger than the surface web and contains a wealth of valuable information that is not easily accessible through conventional search methods 12346789+1 MORE.
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