There are many nooks and crannies of the internet. From the obscene forums of Reddit to the latest Joe Bartolozzi stream and Katie B’s Minecraft gameplays, there is an entire world of entertainment in our hands. Since the mid-1990s, the internet has been used worldwide for a variety of purposes; it has come a long way since the 1960s, when it was invented primarily for military purposes, and later spread to communications between scientists. Now, according to the United States Census, “Most U.S. households had at least one type of computer (95%) and had a broadband internet subscription (90%).” Many children and people in general have access to a variety of content, like entertainment and educational videos. However, these are also posted alongside many horrors of the internet, such as 4chan, Reddit, and DeviantArt. Online users are always two clicks away from finding either a cute puppy video or livestream gore. The internet has exposed many, particularly those born as part of Gen Z, to intense content at way too young of an age. 

The internet has many positive uses, especially when it comes to education, relationships, and entertainment… but there are also horrors. These are not horrors like Jeff the Killer or Ben Drowned, though I do appreciate their impact, but are horrors like the Wayfair conspiracy and the infamous dark web. A big misconception with the “dark web” is that people can access it on Google by just looking it up. I promise that it does not work that way. For those who are living under a rock, the dark web is a side of the internet where users can maintain anonymity to partake in illicit or illegal activities, many of which include the trafficking of drugs or even humans. The real way to describe it, though, would be any website outside the search engine index, mostly containing a “.onion” domain. Some areas of the dark web could just contain a cute home video. However, it is best to stay off of it due to the risk of scams and malware, despite the dark web not being illegal in most places.  The Wayfair conspiracy started around 2020, and claims that the app is trafficking missing children. Fueling this fire, Wayfair was also mentioned many times in the Epstein files. This conspiracy started with people pointing out how strange some listings are, like $20,000 cabinets named after missing kids. According to the BBC, Wayfair replied by saying, "It acknowledged that the high prices listed may have led to confusion, but says the particular cabinets are large, "industrial size" items meant for business or commercial use." However, there are many listings like this, and it just does not add up. Online, something as seemingly innocent as furniture has to be questioned, because you never know the mind of the person behind the screen. 

The internet does have some really questionable platforms, but I can’t act like it's all bad. Another large part of internet culture is the communities that offer a safe space for many people. The National Library of Medicine states that “Social media can provide benefits for some youth by providing positive community and connection with others who share identities, abilities, and interests. It can provide access to important information and create a space for self-expression.” This is especially true for those who are living in an area where people are considered a minority or are part of a marginalized group. Connecting with relatable people can be hard, but social media sites and chatrooms give like-minded people solace and a place where they can be themselves. It is easy to fall down the rabbit hole of ragebait and total lack of empathy online but, in the end, it is all up to you and your algorithm.