Dread

What is Dread forum on Tor?

Dread, often likened to a “Reddit-style forum,” has emerged as a prominent community hub, especially following the shutdown of DeepDotWeb. It became particularly notable for hosting discussions about darknet market law enforcement actions and scams. The platform’s significance surged in 2018 after Reddit banned several darknet market discussion communities. This move propelled Dread’s growth, with the platform registering 12,000 users within three months of its inception, and surpassing 15,000 users by July of the same year.

In September 2019, Dread experienced a significant disruption when the founder’s dead man’s switch, a safety feature used by moderators, was activated. This incident sparked concerns that the platform might have been compromised, either by external parties or law enforcement. However, it was later clarified that the outage resulted from a server malfunction, and Dread resumed operations in November 2019 with an updated user interface. As of September 2022, Dread continued to operate, maintaining its role as a central discussion hub for dark web topics.

April 2020 marked a key development for Dread with the launch of the Tor search engine Recon, created by HugBunter. This event also saw the formation of the Dread Network, encompassing Dread, Daunt, and Recon, with plans for additional onion services. The entire network now operates on anti-DDoS infrastructure, enhancing Dread’s resilience against state-level and malicious cyber threats.

While Dread offers a platform for discussing sensitive issues, it’s crucial for users to remain cautious and steer clear of illegal or harmful activities. The anonymous nature of the dark web can attract those involved in illicit activities, so users should be vigilant about their safety and security.