In a world where the internet has become indispensable, most are unaware of its enigmatic origins. Yasha Levine, in conversation with Chris Hedges, unveils the military underpinnings of our digital world in his work, Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet.
The Birth of Surveillance Technology
What began as a counterinsurgency tool during the Vietnam War evolved into today’s omnipresent digital eye. Initially developed for mass surveillance, the internet’s primary function was tracking guerrilla movements and profiling anti-war activists, a stark contrast to the internet’s modern-day perception as a liberating communication technology.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) spearheaded its development. Tasked initially with Cold War innovations, ARPA shifted focus to counterinsurgency, laying the groundwork for what would become the global network we rely on today.
Rebranding the Internet
In the 1990s, the internet underwent a transformation. Originally an American military asset, it was cleverly rebranded into a symbol of countercultural freedom and technological utopia. As American capitalism soared post-Cold War, the internet was marketed as a tool for global democracy, masking its origins and surveillance capabilities.
Domestic Surveillance and Skepticism
Yasha Levine emphasizes the domestic turn, where technologies like the ARPANET became tools for surveilling anti-war activists within the U.S. Early on, students at MIT and Harvard recognized the potential for control and protested against what they perceived as surveillance under the guise of communication.
The Intricacies of Network Technologies
The conversation also delves into other developments like the Tor browser, touted for protecting users from surveillance. Despite its promises, Levine reveals that Tor was funded by U.S. military interests, illustrating the intertwined relations between tech innovations and military strategies.
A World of Transparent Desires
Today, corporations and state agencies collect vast amounts of personal data, echoing the surveillance dreams of past technocrats. Google’s business model, for instance, is rooted in extracting behavioral data, a practice mirrored by numerous digital platforms, thereby making transparency an inherent feature of modern existence.
The Future of Freedom
As technology giants integrate further into the political and military apparatus, the internet’s role in safeguarding or eroding freedom remains contentious. According to Scheerpost, the ties between Silicon Valley and governmental power continue to mold a tech-driven landscape that, while innovative, raises profound questions about privacy and autonomy.
Yasha Levine’s insights challenge us to reflect on the implications of living in a world devised on the principles of surveillance. The history of the internet, as unveiled, is a tale of power, control, and the enduring quest for dominance—both digital and geopolitical.
In shedding light on these hidden narratives, The Secret Military History of the Internet compels us all to reconsider the implications of our digital footprints and the invisible powers that track them.