Beyond marketplaces, the darknet hosts vibrant communities with their own culture, etiquette, and social norms. Forums serve as discussion hubs, news sources, and reputation repositories independent of any single market.
Dread: The Reddit of Darknet
MAJOR FORUM
Dread is the largest English-language darknet forum, styled after Reddit. Created by "HugBunter" in 2018 after Reddit banned darknet market discussion. Features subdreads (communities), vendor verification, and market updates.
Cultural Norms
OPSEC Obsession
Security is cultural identity. Poor OPSEC is mocked and criticized.
PGP Verification
Signing messages with PGP is expected for important communications.
Reputation Focus
Pseudonymous reputation is currency. Building trust takes time.
Exit Scam Awareness
"Don't FE" and "withdraw funds" are constant refrains.
Common Terminology
- FE: Finalize Early (release payment before receiving order)
- DD: Direct Deal (transaction outside marketplace)
- Stealth: Packaging security quality
- NL: Netherlands (common shipping origin)
- LE: Law Enforcement
- OPSEC: Operational Security
- Shill: Fake reviewer or promoter
Community Warnings
Forums serve as early warning systems:
- Exit scam alerts
- Selective scamming reports
- Law enforcement operation discussions
- Phishing site warnings
- Vendor reviews and drama