Finance:BlackHatWorld

From HandWiki

BlackHatWorld (BHW) is an Internet forum focused on black-hat search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and services.[1][2]

Site services are varied, including cryptocurrency, social media marketing, graphic design, app development,[3] SEO,[1][2] and copywriting. Other site services include bulk account registration,[4] unconventional money-making methods, social media botting,[5] and developments in the SEO space.[5][6] It features a marketplace where companies and individuals can advertise their products. But only after BlackHatWorld employees have verified the success and dependability of the organization.[7] Damien Trevatt, also known online as Diamond Damien,[8] is known as the current owner of BlackHatWorld.[9][10]

History

The forum has existed since 2005.[11] When it began, the site was primarily a forum for discussing search engine optimization tips. By the time of a 2013 study by Afroz et al., the forum had become a “discussion and commerce hub”.[2] In 2015, the forum's two largest communities traded video uploading and blog generator tools. Communities consisted of a few core members and many peripheral members.[12] By 2016, BlackHatWorld was one of the largest public forums for the black hat underground community. Most users were located in India, Pakistan, or the US.[1]

Efforts by social media companies, such as 2018 crackdowns by YouTube[13] and Instagram,[14] have adversely affected sites such as BlackHatWorld.

Services

Users of BlackHatWorld are primarily English-speaking.[1][2] Search engine optimization is the most common service, with many users using BlackHatWorld offering services such as spamming blogs and forums with links.[1] Users must pay a fee to post in a public thread or download a file. Admins and moderators review products.[2] Some users allege that these moderators are corrupt.[10] Users’ reputation is tracked, and only reputable users can participate in more exclusive threads. Users who violate community norms can be banned or fined.[2] Skype is the most popular off-site communication method.[1] The platform does not only focus on black-hat marketing practices but also has sections dedicated to grey hat and white hat activities. There is also a dedicated "My Journey" section for the community to actively share their experiences and journey with internet marketing.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Sundaresan, Srikanth; McCoy, Damon; Afroz, Sadia; Paxson, Vern (2016). "Profiling underground merchants based on network behavior". 2016 APWG Symposium on Electronic Crime Research (ECrime). pp. 1–9. doi:10.1109/ECRIME.2016.7487943. ISBN 978-1-5090-2922-8. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Afroz, Sadia; Garg, Vaibhav; McCoy, Damon; Greenstadt, Rachel (2016). "Honor among thieves: A common's analysis of cybercrime economies". 2013 APWG eCrime Researchers Summit. pp. 1–11. doi:10.1109/eCRS.2013.6805778. ISBN 978-1-4799-1158-5. 
  3. ↑ Fernández Vilas, Ana; Díaz Redondo, Rebeca P.; Couto Cancela, Daniel; Torrado Pazos, Alejandro (2021). "Interplay between Cryptocurrency Transactions and Online Financial Forums". Mathematics 9 (4): 411. doi:10.3390/math9040411. 
  4. ↑ "Constant Dullaart: The Possibility of an Army - Announcements - e-flux" (in en). http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/the-possibility-of-an-army-by-constant-dullaart/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "The new kings of YouTube botting". http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/headline-story/15007/cheap-youtube-views/. 
  6. ↑ "Black Hat Time For Facebook Search Calls Black Hat Forums". seroundtable.com. https://www.seroundtable.com/black-hat-facebook-search-21090.html. 
  7. ↑ "The Black Hat World Marketplace Rules" (in en-US). https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/the-black-hat-world-marketplace-rules.1295700/. 
  8. ↑ "Diamond Damien" (in en-US). https://www.blackhatworld.com/members/diamond-damien.1/. 
  9. ↑ "Damien Trevatt" (in en-GB). https://www.ungagged.com/speaker/damien-trevatt/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Beamer, Troy (28 December 2024). "Black Hat World – A Hub For Scammers And Trolls – A Global Warning". Tech Business News. https://www.techbusinessnews.com.au/blog/black-hat-world-a-hub-for-scammers-and-trolls-a-global-warning/. 
  11. ↑ Afroz, Sadia; Caliskan-Islam, Aylin; Stolerman, Ariel; Greenstadt, Rachel; McCoy, Damon (2014). "Doppelgänger Finder: Taking Stylometry to the Underground". 2014 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy. pp. 212–226. doi:10.1109/SP.2014.21. ISBN 978-1-4799-4686-0. 
  12. ↑ Garg, Viabhav; Afroz, Sadia; Overdorft, Rebekah; Greenstadt, Rachel (January 1, 2015). "Computer-Supported Cooperative Crime". Financial Cryptography and Data Security. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 32–43. 
  13. ↑ Martineau, Paris (20 March 2018). "Inside YouTube's fake views economy". The Outline. https://theoutline.com/post/3804/inside-youtube-s-fake-views-economy. 
  14. ↑ Martineau, Paris (20 November 2018). "Instagram's Crackdown on Fake Followers Just Might Work". Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/instagrams-crackdown-fake-followers-might-work/. Retrieved 20 January 2025. 
  15. ↑ "My Journey Discussions" (in en-US). https://www.blackhatworld.com/forums/my-journey-discussions.167/. 
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