the Biden government suggested that Alphabet's Google and Facebook parent Meta be given approval to deploy an underwater cable infrastructure to accommodate rising Internet traffic from Asia. The government pushed the FCC to award the businesses licences to send and receive data via the existing 8,000-mile Pacific Light Cable Network. The United States, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong are all connected by an underwater fiber-optic cable system. Nearly majority of the world's Intertubes data traffic is sent via submarine cables. Google has requested authorization to link to Taiwan, whereas Meta has requested permission to utilise the Phillipines-to-United States part. The corporations agreed to safeguard the privacy and security of Americans' personal information, notably against Chinese spy operations.

HIGHLIGHTS

Google is considering deploying an underwater cable infrastructure to link to Taiwan.

Google and Meta must do annual risk assessments to sensitive data since undersea cables carry virtually all of the world's Internet data traffic. 

Google and Meta's idea scrapped a prior attempt to utilise the network's cable to reach Beijing-controlled Hong Kong. Several US government authorities have advised that the initiative be halted in 2020. Given China's 'continued efforts to collect the sensitive personal data of millions of US citizens,' the Justice Department claimed the national security agreements with Google and Meta were necessary. Google and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Google stated that the data links will be required by 2020 to manage increased traffic between its data centres in Taiwan and the United States. According to a Meta spokeswoman, the 'cable infrastructure' connecting the United States and the Philippines 'increases Internet bandwidth' to 'enable people stay connected and exchange content.' According to the company, the cables are safe, and data is protected using modern encryption. 

Google and Meta must do yearly risk evaluations of sensitive data, and they must be able to restrict or terminate data transmission on the cables within 24 hours, according to the agreements.