How Silkroad Is a Movement And Not Just A Website

The site Silkroad is an online marketplace that is generally operated as a Tor hidden service, a service known for its strong encryption and anonymous nature which is mostly used as a tool for spreading uncensored speech amongst internet users. Silkroad was founded in February 2011 and its name is derived from the historical trade routes that were used by India, China and Europe during the Han Dynasty which ran from 206 BC to 220 AD. The site was re-launched in November 2013 after a brief shutdown, even though it was previously being run by an admin known as Dread Pirate Roberts, Silkroad is currently being run by Defcon. Silkroad has since ceased being viewed as a site but is now considered more of a movement in most quarters. This shift has been brought about by several factors, these include;

The anonymous nature of Silkroad is enticing

It is human nature to try and do anything you feel like when you feel like. Even though there are rules and regulations guiding what can and cannot be sold on this marketplace, the truth is that there are very many things both legal and illegal that are quite embarrassing or unlawful to sell or buy, which have both demand and supply, but were otherwise lacking a marketplace to act as a link. The Silkroad site has solved this problem and thrown in a bonus of anonymity. This feeling of being able to do all your trading anonymously makes users feel more at ease and at liberty to transact their business using Silkroad. That freedom is quite enticing and a tad addictive. The feeling of comradeship amongst traders in Silkroad is quite strong.

Silkroad sells a variety of products

Even though as of March 2013 the site had over 10,000 products for sale with 70 % of these products being over 340 varieties of drugs considered as contraband in most jurisdictions, the truth is that the sheer variety of products on offer has made the site not only interesting but also quite effective and efficient for its users. They are thus quite loyal to the Silkroad brand as they are assured of their supply in a fast manner; the legality of the product or service notwithstanding.

The exclusive use of bitcoins

The continued use of Bitcoins for trading purposes in this marketplace has added on the sense of uniqueness and novelty that the site has tried to espouse since its inception. The choice of bitcoin as the medium of exchange in Silkroad was quite masterful as it tapped into an already existing movement of people who are ready and willing to push the envelope and discover new ways and means of doing business in the cyberspace.

The shutdown and subsequent arrests brought in some sense of victimization and publicity.

When the United States Drug Enforcement Agency first reported on 23rd June 2013 that it had seized 11.02 bitcoins worth $814 from bitcoin and the subsequent arrest of Ross William Ulbricht in San Francisco on 2nd October 2013; Silkroad got a lot of publicity in all the major media platforms and it did not take long before Silkroad 2.0 was developed by administrators from the previous site on 6th November 2013. The staunch followers and users of the site felt victimized and they did manage to sway a considerable majority of the population to side with them on this issue of being unfairly treated. Click here to learn more about Silkroad.