1. I want to verify that the "lower astral" is "the part you want to avoid, where the Illuminati-like darker spirits work their puppets of the physical world." This seems a little... Off.
2. As a conspiracy theorist(acknowledging the danger), could an experienced astral projector collect information in the lower astral?
The "lower" planes and references to "lower" spirits refer to those spirits that tend to possess an energy that quite simply feels lower. There's really nothing to do with the illuminati or any other such conspiracy theories that is related to them, though I'm sure if you tried you could dig up something.
For the most part, low spirits are simple consciousnesses that do not much possess the the capability to feel or comprehend more complex emotions. As such, some of them are feared because they attempt to manipulate and experience the more base emotions such as fear, anger, jealousy, etc. so as to know something closer to the depth of love, happiness, and so forth.
Most are either spirits tormented by madness, spirits that have been "broken" in some way or another, or spirits that have otherwise developed without this complexity.
The lower astral, or the lower planes, typically refer to those areas where such entities exist.
I think the reason that most avoid the 'lower' astral level or sub levels are because theydont like the feel. When you go near that level ( keep in mind this is my expiranc) it seems thicker and you feel things are clinging to you or grasping. That an whenyou return to your body you just feel ucky ( sorry, been around little kids to long) . Granted I think theres a chance something could happen like a possestion or leached energy hut I dont think it will last long and will be gone once you return to your body because most things or spirites in the sub levels arnt strong enough to hold to your astal self forto long.
Im not sure what you mean by collecting information. Like on other people ?
