Undersea cables form fragile internet backbone

The internet's foundation relies on a vast network of undersea fiber optic cables, a system surprisingly vulnerable to disruption. Author Samanth Subramanian highlights this in his book, 'The Web Beneath the Waves,' emphasizing that the internet is not truly wireless. The infrastructure, reminiscent of old telegraph networks, is heavily influenced by global geography, with critical points like the Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal dictating cable routes. Protecting this vital yet delicate system presents significant challenges, as demonstrated by past outages like the one affecting Tonga.