Dark web studies is an interdisciplinary academic field dedicated to the systematic investigation of the dark web. It examines the technical infrastructure, content, user dynamics, and socio-technical implications of hidden, non-indexed online environments, employing specialized methodologies to access and analyze these spaces. The field's significance stems from the dark web's disproportionate role in facilitating illicit activities, such as the trade of stolen data, alongside its potential for enabling anonymous communication and free expression.