ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Clearnet (networking)

Clearnet is the normal way that we use the internet in our everyday lives. It's like a big playground full of lots of kids who want to play with each other. When you want to play with a friend, you can just walk up to them and start playing without any special permission. This is how we usually use the internet – by connecting directly to websites and services without any special permission or restrictions.

The clearnet is the network of all these websites and services that we can access without any special permissions. Just like how we can walk around the playground without any special permission, we can also surf the clearnet without any special security measures. This makes it easy for us to access and use all sorts of websites and services without having to worry about anything else.

However, just like how there may be dangers or bad people on the playground, there are also dangers and bad people on the clearnet. These can include hackers who want to steal our information, scammers who want to trick us, or even governments who want to monitor or control what we can and can't do on the internet.

That's why some people use special tools to access what's called the "darknet" – a part of the internet that's hidden and more secure than the clearnet. It's like going to a secret part of the playground where only certain people are allowed to play. But for most of us, the clearnet is perfectly fine and safe to use as long as we're careful and aware of the risks.