It’s important to note that this map visualizes publicly available data, which doesn’t capture the full picture of global connectivity. The city peering information, for instance, is sourced from PeeringDB, which tracks publicly advertised connections at IXPs. A vast amount of internet traffic also flows through private peering arrangements and paid transit links that are not publicly documented and therefore do not appear here.

Similarly, the map focuses on the intercontinental backbone of submarine cables. It does not show the incredibly dense web of terrestrial fiber optic cables that run under our streets and alongside major roads. While that data would be fascinating, visualizing it would be overwhelming, and acquiring a complete dataset is nearly impossible as network providers rarely share this proprietary information.