The role of criminal history, low self-control, and social learning 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.