diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 0d8e8d7a..58e26f01 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ group :test do
 end
 
 group :development, :test do
+  gem 'puma'
   gem 'better_errors'
   gem 'binding_of_caller'
   gem 'pry-byebug'
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index d104cb51..a1aafb05 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ GEM
       pry (~> 0.10)
     pry-rails (0.3.4)
       pry (>= 0.9.10)
+    puma (2.15.3)
     pundit (1.1.0)
       activesupport (>= 3.0.0)
     pundit_extra (0.3.0)
@@ -298,6 +299,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   pg
   pry-byebug
   pry-rails
+  puma
   pundit
   pundit_extra
   rack-attack
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/application.js b/app/assets/javascripts/application.js
index 11633bea..6af52fbd 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/application.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/application.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 //= require jquery
 //= require jquery-ui
 //= require jquery_ujs
+//= require action_cable
 //= require_directory ./lib
 //= require ./webpacked/metamaps.bundle
 //= require ./Metamaps.ServerData
diff --git a/app/channels/application_cable/channel.rb b/app/channels/application_cable/channel.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6726972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/channels/application_cable/channel.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+module ApplicationCable
+  class Channel < ActionCable::Channel::Base
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/channels/application_cable/connection.rb b/app/channels/application_cable/connection.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8eb318cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/channels/application_cable/connection.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+module ApplicationCable
+  class Connection < ActionCable::Connection::Base
+    identified_by :current_user
+
+    def connect
+      self.current_user = find_verified_user
+      logger.add_tags 'ActionCable', current_user.name
+    end
+
+    protected
+      def find_verified_user
+        verified_user = User.find_by(id: cookies.signed['user.id'])
+        if verified_user && cookies.signed['user.expires_at'] > Time.now
+          verified_user
+        else
+          reject_unauthorized_connection
+        end
+      end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/channels/topic_channel.rb b/app/channels/topic_channel.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc5cd834
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/channels/topic_channel.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+class TopicChannel < ApplicationCable::Channel
+  # Called when the consumer has successfully
+  # become a subscriber of this channel.
+  def subscribed
+    stream_from "topic_#{params[:id]}"
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/models/synapse.rb b/app/models/synapse.rb
index d14a18f4..f0eab9c6 100644
--- a/app/models/synapse.rb
+++ b/app/models/synapse.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class Synapse < ApplicationRecord
     where(topic1_id: topic_id).or(where(topic2_id: topic_id))
   }
 
+  after_create :after_created
   after_update :after_updated
 
   delegate :name, to: :user, prefix: true
@@ -42,6 +43,35 @@ class Synapse < ApplicationRecord
     super(methods: [:user_name, :user_image, :collaborator_ids])
   end
 
+  def after_created
+    filteredSynapse = {
+      id: id,
+      permission: permission,
+      user_id: user_id,
+      collaborator_ids: collaborator_ids
+    }
+    filteredTopic1 = {
+      id: topic1_id,
+      permission: topic1.permission,
+      user_id: topic1.user_id,
+      collaborator_ids: topic1.collaborator_ids
+    }
+    filteredTopic2 = {
+      id: topic2_id,
+      permission: topic2.permission,
+      user_id: topic2.user_id,
+      collaborator_ids: topic2.collaborator_ids
+    }
+    data = {
+      synapse: filteredSynapse,
+      topic1: filteredTopic1,
+      topic2: filteredTopic2
+    }
+    # include the filtered topics here too
+    ActionCable.server.broadcast 'topic_' + topic1_id.to_s, type: 'newSynapse', data: data 
+    ActionCable.server.broadcast 'topic_' + topic2_id.to_s, type: 'newSynapse', data: data 
+  end
+
   def after_updated
     attrs = ['desc', 'category', 'permission', 'defer_to_map_id']
     if attrs.any? {|k| changed_attributes.key?(k)}
diff --git a/config/initializers/warden_hooks.rb b/config/initializers/warden_hooks.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da983955
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/warden_hooks.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+Warden::Manager.after_set_user do |user,auth,opts|
+  scope = opts[:scope]
+  auth.cookies.signed["#{scope}.id"] = user.id
+  auth.cookies.signed["#{scope}.expires_at"] = 30.minutes.from_now
+end
+Warden::Manager.before_logout do |user, auth, opts|
+  scope = opts[:scope]
+  auth.cookies.signed["#{scope}.id"] = nil
+  auth.cookies.signed["#{scope}.expires_at"] = nil
+end
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 000784f6..4dc44c91 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 Metamaps::Application.routes.draw do
   use_doorkeeper
+  mount ActionCable.server => '/cable'
 
   root to: 'main#home', via: :get
   get 'request', to: 'main#requestinvite', as: :request
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Cable.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Cable.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03ec82d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Cable.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/* global $, ActionCable */
+
+import Active from './Active'
+import DataModel from './DataModel'
+
+const Cable = {
+  topicSubs: {},
+  init: () => {
+    let self = Cable
+    self.cable = ActionCable.createConsumer()
+  },
+  subAllTopics: () => {
+    let self = Cable
+    DataModel.Topics.models.forEach(topic => self.subTopic(topic.id))  
+  },
+  subTopic: id => {
+    let self = Cable
+    self.topicSubs[id] = self.cable.subscriptions.create({
+      channel: 'TopicChannel',
+      id: id
+    }, {
+      received: event => self[event.type](event.data)
+    }) 
+  },
+  unsubTopic: id => {
+    let self = Cable
+    self.topicSubs[id] && self.topicSubs[id].unsubscribe()
+    delete self.topicSubs[id]
+  },
+  unsubAllTopics: () => {
+    let self = Cable
+    Object.keys(self.topicSubs).forEach(id => {
+      self.topicSubs[id].unsubscribe()
+    })
+    self.topicSubs = {}
+  },
+  // begin event functions
+  newSynapse: data => {
+    console.log(data)
+    const m = Active.Mapper
+    const s = new DataModel.Synapse(data.synapse)
+    const t1 = new DataModel.Topic(data.topic1)
+    const t2 = new DataModel.Topic(data.topic2)
+    if (t1.authorizeToShow(m) && t2.authorizeToShow(m) && s.authorizeToShow(m)) {
+      console.log('authorized')
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default Cable
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js
index e6a7f1c7..be37e095 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Synapse.js
@@ -87,6 +87,10 @@ const Synapse = Backbone.Model.extend({
     if (mapper && (this.get('permission') === 'commons' || this.get('collaborator_ids').includes(mapper.get('id')) || this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id'))) return true
     else return false
   },
+  authorizeToShow: function(mapper) {
+    if (this.get('permission') !== 'private' || (mapper && this.get('collaborator_ids').includes(mapper.get('id')) || this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id'))) return true
+    else return false
+  },
   authorizePermissionChange: function(mapper) {
     if (mapper && this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id')) return true
     else return false
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js
index 0d71c973..aaf0937b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/DataModel/Topic.js
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ const Topic = Backbone.Model.extend({
       return false
     }
   },
+  authorizeToShow: function(mapper) {
+    if (this.get('permission') !== 'private' || (mapper && this.get('collaborator_ids').includes(mapper.get('id')) || this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id'))) return true
+    else return false
+  },
   authorizePermissionChange: function(mapper) {
     if (mapper && this.get('user_id') === mapper.get('id')) return true
     else return false
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js
index 903cc11d..078b8991 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/JIT.js
@@ -640,14 +640,14 @@ const JIT = {
       }
     },
     // this will just be used to patch the ForceDirected graphsettings with the few things which actually differ
-    background: {
+    /*background: {
       levelDistance: 200,
       numberOfCircles: 4,
       CanvasStyles: {
         strokeStyle: '#333',
         lineWidth: 1.5
       }
-    },
+    },*/
     levelDistance: 200
   },
   onMouseEnter: function(edge) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Topic.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Topic.js
index 6b1aa8c1..c3afaf9d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Topic.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Topic.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import $jit from '../patched/JIT'
 
 import Active from './Active'
 import AutoLayout from './AutoLayout'
+import Cable from './Cable'
 import Create from './Create'
 import DataModel from './DataModel'
 import Filter from './Filter'
@@ -43,6 +44,8 @@ const Topic = {
       DataModel.Synapses = new DataModel.SynapseCollection(data.synapses)
       DataModel.attachCollectionEvents()
 
+      DataModel.Topics.models.forEach(topic => Cable.subTopic(topic.id))
+
       document.title = Active.Topic.get('name') + ' | Metamaps'
 
       // set filter mapper H3 text
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@ const Topic = {
       TopicCard.hideCard()
       SynapseCard.hideCard()
       Filter.close()
+      Cable.unsubAllTopics()
     }
   },
   centerOn: function(nodeid, callback) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/index.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/index.js
index be218aff..b5604994 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/index.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/index.js
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ import Account from './Account'
 import Active from './Active'
 import Admin from './Admin'
 import AutoLayout from './AutoLayout'
-import DataModel from './DataModel'
+import Cable from './Cable'
 import Control from './Control'
 import Create from './Create'
+import DataModel from './DataModel'
 import Debug from './Debug'
 import Filter from './Filter'
 import GlobalUI, {
@@ -38,9 +39,10 @@ Metamaps.Account = Account
 Metamaps.Active = Active
 Metamaps.Admin = Admin
 Metamaps.AutoLayout = AutoLayout
-Metamaps.DataModel = DataModel
+Metamaps.Cable = Cable
 Metamaps.Control = Control
 Metamaps.Create = Create
+Metamaps.DataModel = DataModel
 Metamaps.Debug = Debug
 Metamaps.Filter = Filter
 Metamaps.GlobalUI = GlobalUI
@@ -106,6 +108,8 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
     JIT.prepareVizData()
     GlobalUI.showDiv('#infovis')
   }
+
+  if (Active.Topic) Cable.subAllTopics()
 })
 
 export default Metamaps