LONDON, U.K.: Britain's foreign ministry said this week that the country's intelligence service will use a new dark web platform to recruit informants and collect secret information from agents in Russia and beyond.

The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) is launching a portal called Silent Courier, designed to let people anonymously share details of illicit activities worldwide or volunteer their own services. Officials say the move marks a shift from traditional face-to-face meetings toward digital tools that exploit the anonymity of the dark web, a hidden corner of the internet more often linked with drug trafficking, terrorism, and child exploitation.

"Our virtual door is open to you," MI6 chief Richard Moore will say when formally unveiling the initiative in a speech in Istanbul on September 19. Moore, who has previously urged Russians to work with Britain, will add that MI6 is seeking information on "global instability, international terrorism, or hostile state intelligence activity."

Established in 1909 and only officially acknowledged in the 1990s, MI6 typically operates behind closed doors. The only publicly named official is its chief, traditionally known as "C." In a promotional video, the agency admitted that in-person meetings have been the bedrock of its work, but said it was now embracing digital anonymity to stay ahead of adversaries.

The government said instructions for using the portal will be posted on MI6's YouTube channel. "As the world changes, and the threats we're facing multiply, we must ensure the UK is always one step ahead," Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper said. "Now we're bolstering their efforts with cutting-edge tech so MI6 can recruit new spies for the UK—in Russia and around the world."

The announcement comes as Moore prepares to step down later this month after five years in charge. He is expected to be succeeded by Blaise Metreweli, who will become the first woman to lead MI6.