JAKARTA - International relations expert, Tia Mariatul Kibtiah, said that conflicts in the Middle East have the potential to trigger a global digital disruption if the submarine internet cable infrastructure is targeted for sabotage.
According to him, the disruption to the network not only impacts the world's internet connection, but can also hinder international banking transaction systems and financial services. This risk arises because most of the global data traffic, including digital financial transactions, depends on submarine fiber optic cable networks that connect various regions of the world.
"If this communication channel is disrupted, internet activity and cross-border payment systems can be widely affected," Tia said, Sunday, March 15.
He assessed that the conflict in the Middle East did not have a direct geographical impact on Southeast Asia. However, its indirect effects remain significant for the region, including Indonesia. This is because the impact of the conflict can spread through various global sectors that are interconnected, including the economy and digital systems.
"Global digital infrastructure, especially undersea fiber optic cables, is one of the vulnerable points if the conflict expands or involves sabotage of strategic facilities," he continued.
Tia stated that in this scenario, the disruption not only occurred in internet access, but also in financial transaction systems that rely on international communication networks. "The effect is everywhere. Even worse, this disrupts our national stability and security," he said.
He explained that disruptions to undersea internet cables have the potential to trigger widespread disruptions, ranging from banking transactions, digital payment systems, to internet-based economic activities. The global financial system today is highly dependent on real-time digital connectivity, so network disruptions can slow down or even stop some transaction services.
Apart from digital risks, Middle East conflicts often trigger a domino effect on stability in various countries, including Indonesia. He exemplified that the geopolitical dynamics in the region often trigger political and social resonances in the country. "Every time there is an event in the Middle East, the effect is definitely to Indonesia," concluded Tia.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
