| Abstract: | The Invisible Web—defined as Web information that cannot be found by using general-purpose search engines—has been studied primarily as an access issue. In this article, the authors consider, for the first time, the economic and political implications of the Invisible Web. The article is divided into two parts; the first looks at the “open” Web, accessible through URLs, while the second delves into the Dark Web, hidden behind veils of anonymity. The two main questions asked are: How is the Invisible Web shaped by economic and political factors and how, in turn, does the Invisible Web shape those circumstances? With the answers to these questions, the authors hope to bring more awareness of the Invisible Web to the information literacy classroom. |
