The Sociopolitical Dimension of Submarine Cables in the Contemporary Geopolitical Context

The rupture of the C-Lion1 submarine cable, which connects Helsinki, Finland, to the port city of Rostock, Germany, highlights the importance of submarine cables as critical infrastructure. In the current scenario, marked by intense geopolitical disputes and a growing dependence on digital connectivity, such events highlight the need for sociological analysis to understand the intersection between technology, power and sovereignty.

Submarine cables, which carry more than 95% of intercontinental data, are central elements in the structure of global digital society. They are not just physical infrastructures, but social systems that support economic, political and cultural dynamics. The fact that they transport around 10 trillion dollars per day in financial transactions underscores their role as the backbone of contemporary global capitalism.

History: from the telegraph to cyberspace

The evolution of submarine cables parallels the development of capitalist modernity. The first connections, established in the 1850s, met the demands of colonial and commercial communication. Today, fiber optic networks represent the continuation of this logic, but with greater integration into global systems of information and power. This transition reflects the consolidation of an interconnected global space, in which data flows shape social life.

Geopolitics and control of networks

The dependence on submarine cables makes them vulnerable to power dynamics between nation states and private actors. Episodes such as the cable cut in the Baltic Sea illustrate how these infrastructures become strategic tools in contexts of hybrid warfare. From this perspective, cable ruptures are not just a technical problem, but a manifestation of tensions between political and economic orders.

Control of these networks is concentrated in multinational companies and major technological powers. Amazon, Google and Microsoft, for example, have invested in the construction of their own cables, while giants such as Huawei Marine Networks reflect China's global ambitions. These movements configure a dispute for technological hegemony, in which control of infrastructure translates into political power.

Sociology of risk and digital security

The disruption of submarine cables, as observed on Matsu Island in Taiwan and in the recent case in the Baltic Sea, highlights the social risks associated with digital infrastructure. The vulnerability of entire communities and economies to failures or sabotage raises questions about the relationship between security and technological dependence.

From the perspective of the sociology of risk, submarine cables represent not only a technical component, but also an element of structural insecurity. The increase in technological complexity and global interdependence amplifies the potential impacts of disruptive events, transforming submarine cables into "risk zones".

Strategies of power and dependence

With its "Made in China 2025" strategy, China seeks to dominate the global fiber optic market, establishing a new form of technological dependence between countries. This model, which combines technical assistance and strategic investments, reflects the logic of structural power described by sociologists such as Manuel Castells, in which control of networks is central to the construction of global hegemony.

The competition between the United States and China in the Pacific, exemplified by the bidding war in Micronesia, highlights the use of submarine cables as tools of geopolitical power. This dynamic reinforces structural inequalities between states and deepens the vulnerabilities of peripheral nations.

Ethical and legal dimensions

The absence of robust regulations in international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributes to the precarious governance of submarine cables. This gap allows state and private actors to manipulate networks for their own benefit, ignoring the impacts on entire populations.

On the other hand, the possibility of espionage and cyberattacks expands the debate on sovereignty and digital rights. Authoritarian governments have exploited loopholes in the system to impose control and surveillance, configuring a "digital colonization" that threatens individual and collective freedoms.

The future of submarine cables and the digital society

Three trends are shaping the future of submarine cables in the global context:

1. Exponential growth of digital infrastructure, with a projected annual increase of 30% in the number of cables.

2. Increased sensitivity of transferred data, increasing the risks of misuse and manipulation.

3. Political instrumentalization of networks, especially by authoritarian powers that see cables as a means of projecting power.

Securing submarine cables requires coordinated actions that transcend national and corporate interests. Governments and companies must adopt integrated security measures, promoting technologies such as advanced encryption and artificial intelligence for monitoring and preventing threats.

From a sociological perspective, submarine cables are not just technological objects, but material representations of power relations in the contemporary world-system. Their governance and security will be decisive for the future of global society.