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

Site services are varied, including cryptocurrency, social media marketing, graphic design, app development, SEO, and copywriting. Other site services include bulk account registration, unconventional money-making methods, social media botting, and developments in the SEO space. 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. Damien Trevatt, also known online as Diamond Damien, is known as the current owner of BlackHatWorld.

History

The forum has existed since 2005. 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”. 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. 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.

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

Services

Users of BlackHatWorld are primarily English-speaking. Search engine optimization is the most common service, with many users using BlackHatWorld offering services such as spamming blogs and forums with links. Users must pay a fee to post in a public thread or download a file. Admins and moderators review products. Some users allege that these moderators are corrupt. Users’ reputation is tracked, and only reputable users can participate in more exclusive threads. Users who violate community norms can be banned or fined. Skype is the most popular off-site communication method. 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.

References

1. ^ Sundaresan, Srikanth; McCoy, Damon; Afroz, Sadia; Paxson, Vern (2016). "Profiling underground merchants based on network behavior". 2016 APWG Symposium on Electronic Crime Research (ECrime): 1–9. doi:10.1109/ECRIME.2016.7487943. ISBN 978-1-5090-2922-8.
2. ^ Afroz, Sadia; Garg, Vaibhav; McCoy, Damon; Greenstadt, Rachel (2016). "Honor among thieves: A common's analysis of cybercrime economies". 2013 APWG ECrime Researchers Summit: 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". MDPI. 9 (4): 411. doi:10.3390/math9040411.
4. "Constant Dullaart: The Possibility of an Army - Announcements - e-flux". www.e-flux.com. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
5. ^ "The new kings of YouTube botting". kernelmag.dailydot.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
6. "Black Hat Time For Facebook Search Calls Black Hat Forums". seroundtable.com. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
7. "The Black Hat World Marketplace Rules". BlackHatWorld. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
8. "Diamond Damien". BlackHatWorld. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
9. "Damien Trevatt". UnGagged. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
10. ^ Beamer, Troy (28 December 2024). "Black Hat World – A Hub For Scammers And Trolls – A Global Warning". Tech Business News. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
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 (1 January 2015). "Computer-Supported Cooperative Crime". In Böhme, Rainer & Okamoto, Tatsuaki (eds.). 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. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
14. Martineau, Paris (20 November 2018). "Instagram's Crackdown on Fake Followers Just Might Work". Wired. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
15. "My Journey Discussions". BlackHatWorld. Retrieved 30 September 2022.

External links

• Official website

• Black hat search engine optimization
• Internet forums
• Digital marketing