Submarine Cables and the Rise of Mass Surveillance
In the quiet suburbs of New Jersey, behind an inconspicuous gate, lies a seemingly ordinary building that conceals a dark secret — it is a landing station for AT&T, where massive undersea cables connecting the world hit the eastern seaboard. This article delves into the clandestine world of submarine cables and their role in the rise of mass surveillance. From the covert facilities processing intercepted data to the historical context of cable tapping, we explore the intricate web of global communication and the unsettling reality of governments spying on the vast network that connects our planet.
The story begins in 1858 when the first copper cable was laid across the Atlantic Ocean, connecting Ireland to Canada. This revolutionary feat marked the dawn of a more connected world. Today, with 1.4 million kilometres of cables linking us, they transfer mind-boggling amounts of data — the fastest cables can transmit 224 terabits per second. The industry dedicated to laying, monitoring, and repairing these cables has become vital in our hyper-connected era.
While cables can be damaged by fishing trawlers, anchors, and even sharks, intentional sabotage is a darker aspect. The article highlights instances like the mysterious cable breaking off the coast of China’s contested island, raising suspicions and tensions. Sabotage, a tactic as old as the American Civil War, has been used strategically to disrupt communication during wartime.
The Cold War and Submarine Cable Tapping: The Cold War elevated spying to a new level, with governments targeting underwater cables for intelligence gathering. The USS Halibut, equipped with a secret space dubbed the “bat cave,” engaged in a decade-long operation called Ivy Bells, tapping into Soviet cables. The information gleaned played a crucial role in negotiating nuclear arms reduction and influencing the end of the Cold War.
As the world transitioned into the internet age, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 granted sweeping surveillance powers. In 2006, a leaked document exposed the NSA tapping into undersea fibre optic cables in San Francisco, a revelation that paled in comparison to what was to come. In 2013, Edward Snowden’s historic leak revealed a vast network of global surveillance, with the NSA targeting every cable touching the United States. Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Apple were implicated, signalling an unprecedented level of intrusion into private communications.
Submarine cables, once symbols of progress and connectivity, have become conduits for mass surveillance. The eerie buildings hidden in plain sight, the historical precedence of cable tapping, and the modern revelations of extensive government surveillance all underscore the complex and often unsettling reality of the interconnected world we live in. As technology advances, so too does the potential for governments to monitor and control the very essence of global communication. The story of submarine cables is not just one of technological marvels but also a cautionary tale of how the threads connecting our world can be used to weave a web of surveillance.
Written By:
Krrish Chhabra
