Cebulka (Polish dark web cryptomarket and image board) messages data

General Information

1. Title of Dataset

Cebulka (Polish dark web cryptomarket and image board) messages data.

2. Data Collectors

Haitao Shi (The University of Edinburgh, UK); Patrycja Cheba (Jagiellonian University); Leszek Świeca (Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland).

3. Funding Information

The dataset is part of the research supported by the Polish National Science Centre (Narodowe Centrum Nauki) grant 2021/43/B/HS6/00710.

Project title: “Rhizomatic networks, circulation of meanings and contents, and offline contexts of online drug trade” (2022-2025; PLN 956 620; funding institution: Polish National Science Centre [NCN], call: OPUS 22; Principal Investigator: Piotr Siuda [Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland]).

Data Collection Context

4. Data Source

Polish dark web cryptomarket and image board called Cebulka (http://cebulka7uxchnbpvmqapg5pfos4ngaxglsktzvha7a5rigndghvadeyd.onion/index.php).   

5. Purpose

This dataset was developed within the abovementioned project. The project focuses on studying internet behavior concerning disruptive actions, particularly emphasizing the online narcotics market in Poland. The research seeks to (1) investigate how the open internet, including social media, is used in the drug trade; (2) outline the significance of darknet platforms in the distribution of drugs; and (3) explore the complex exchange of content related to the drug trade between the surface web and the darknet, along with understanding meanings constructed within the drug subculture.

Within this context, Cebulka is identified as a critical digital venue in Poland’s dark web illicit substances scene. Besides serving as a marketplace, it plays a crucial role in shaping the narratives and discussions prevalent in the drug subculture. The dataset has proved to be a valuable tool for performing the analyses needed to achieve the project’s objectives.

Data Content

6. Data Description

The data was collected in three periods, i.e., in January 2023, June 2023, and January 2024.

The dataset comprises a sample of messages posted on Cebulka from its inception until January 2024 (including all the messages with drug advertisements). These messages include the initial posts that start each thread and the subsequent posts (replies) within those threads. The dataset is organized into two directories. The “cebulka_adverts” directory contains posts related to drug advertisements (both advertisements and comments). In contrast, the “cebulka_community” directory holds a sample of posts from other parts of the cryptomarket, i.e., those not related directly to trading drugs but rather focusing on discussing illicit substances. The dataset consists of 16,842 posts.

7. Data Cleaning, Processing, and Anonymization

The data has been cleaned and processed using regular expressions in Python. Additionally, all personal information was removed through regular expressions. The data has been hashed to exclude all identifiers related to instant messaging apps and email addresses. Furthermore, all usernames appearing in messages have been eliminated.

8. File Formats and Variables/Fields

The dataset consists of the following files:

• Zipped .txt files (“cebulka_adverts.zip” and “cebulka_community.zip”) containing all messages. These files are organized into individual directories that mirror the folder structure found on Cebulka.
• Two .csv files that list all the messages, including file names and the content of each post. The first .csv lists messages from “cebulka_adverts.zip,” and the second .csv lists messages from “cebulka_community.zip.”

Ethical Considerations

9. Ethics Statement

A set of data handling policies aimed at ensuring safety and ethics has been outlined in the following paper:

Harviainen, J.T., Haasio, A., Ruokolainen, T., Hassan, L., Siuda, P., Hamari, J. (2021). Information Protection in Dark Web Drug Markets Research [in:] Proceedings of the 54th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2021, Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii, USA, 4-8 January 2021, Maui, Hawaii, (ed.) Tung X. Bui, Honolulu, HI, pp. 4673-4680.

The primary safeguard was the early-stage hashing of usernames and identifiers from the messages, utilizing automated systems for irreversible hashing. Recognizing that automatic name removal might not catch all identifiers, the data underwent manual review to ensure compliance with research ethics and thorough anonymization.