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Jilly_in_VA

(12,003 posts)
Mon May 26, 2025, 11:36 AM Monday

The Most Terrifying Company in America You've Never Heard Of

Most Americans have never heard of Palantir. That’s by design. It doesn’t make phones or social platforms. It doesn’t beg for your data with bright buttons or discount codes. Rather, it just takes it. Quietly. Legally. Systematically. Palantir is a back-end beast, the silent spine of modern surveillance infrastructure.

Palantir’s influence isn’t hypothetical. It’s operational. From the battlefields of Ukraine to the precincts of Los Angeles, its software guides drone strikes, predicts crime, allocates police resources, and even helps governments decide which children might someday become “threats.” These aren’t sci-fi hypotheticals. They are pilot programs, already integrated, already scaling.

This software—Gotham, Foundry, and now its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP)—is designed to swallow everything: hospital records, welfare files, license plate scans, school roll calls, immigration logs and even your tweets. It stitches these fragments into something eerily complete—a unified view of you. With each data point, the image sharpens.

If Facebook turned people into products, Palantir turns them into probabilities. You’re not a user. You’re a variable—run through predictive models, flagged for anomalies, and judged in silence.

This is not just surveillance. It’s prediction. And that distinction matters: Surveillance watches. Prediction acts. It assigns probabilities. It flags anomalies. It escalates risk. And it trains bureaucrats and law enforcement to treat those algorithmic suspicions as fact. In short: the software decides, and people follow.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-most-terrifying-company-in-america-is-probably-one-youve-never-heard-of/

I've known about them for awhile...have you?

48 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The Most Terrifying Company in America You've Never Heard Of (Original Post) Jilly_in_VA Monday OP
Nope, never heard of them. Thank you, my dear Jilly_in_VA. This is terrifying. n/t CaliforniaPeggy Monday #1
I knew it was them D_Master81 Monday #2
Stock is up over 1200% since then TheProle Monday #11
Yup. Remember when I first became aware of them and their inside track to the US intelligence communitiess erronis Monday #3
I've known of them since the InsLaw days and "The Octopus Murders" SharonAnn Monday #9
Palantir is Peter Thiel UpInArms Monday #4
Thiel is indeed evil. Glaisne Monday #20
Calling JD Vance an 'ally' of Thiel is an understatement. He is a protege and a Thiel-sponsored tool. Nt lostnfound Monday #42
What if I told you "DOGE" was about data harvesting rather than it's professed purpose. Snarkoleptic Monday #5
Of course it was. SharonAnn Monday #10
Of course it was, yes. Nt lostnfound Monday #43
Believe it. No doubt. n/t defacto7 Monday #44
Minority Report made real. GoneOffShore Monday #6
Yes, known about it since mid-2022 bucolic_frolic Monday #7
AKA: Agent Mike Bo Zarts Monday #8
I know about Palentir ... aggiesal Monday #12
Yep Iamscrewed Monday #13
Wasn't there a movie about this years ago DENVERPOPS Monday #14
Yup lonely bird Monday #23
Heard about but didn't know of. Prairie_Seagull Monday #15
Yep, heard all about them... MiHale Monday #16
Testimonials from partner/clients (from the Palantir homepage): Auggie Monday #17
Good info. calimary Monday #33
This reminds me of "The Machine" from an action-oriented TV program from several years ago. BobTheSubgenius Monday #18
Oh, I've known of them. Unfortunately, however, most have NO idea...and not nearly enough attention has been paid to Karasu Monday #19
And who is anomalist, different and a potential threat? Glaisne Monday #21
Well, yes and no lonely bird Monday #25
Naming your company after a LOTR device Aviation Pro Monday #22
They tried to compete in the legal field Henry203 Monday #24
Yes. I've posted a few threads about them the last couple of years: highplainsdem Monday #26
+1 dalton99a Monday #36
When McKINSEY COMES TO TOWN..Another one that will blow your mind. multigraincracker Monday #27
Thiel's company. BadgerMom Monday #28
He truly is a pile of shit with arms and legs wolfie001 Monday #31
Palantir was a seeing stone in Lord of the Rings Martin Eden Monday #29
Sounds related to "The Entity," in the latest Mission Impossible film dlk Monday #30
A strange one, indeed. Joinfortmill Monday #32
Important malaise Monday #34
Kick dalton99a Monday #35
K & R . . . Journeyman Monday #37
Don't forget that Thiel gave JD Vance his $ start. TheRickles Monday #38
Yep. He's his sockpuppet. Thiel has IMMENSE power over this regime. Karasu Monday #40
It sounds like the movie Minority Report. With PC's instead of physic people. OverBurn Monday #39
I hate... GiqueCee Monday #41
It was not created as a tool for Sauron's evil soldierant Tuesday #47
I saw the post & thought "Palantir." CaptainTruth Monday #45
I remember EuterpeThelo Monday #46
Yep and posted articles justaprogressive Tuesday #48

D_Master81

(2,085 posts)
2. I knew it was them
Mon May 26, 2025, 11:42 AM
Monday

I saw the headline and thought “I bet it’s palentir”. Still not really sure what it is they do but they were a big meme stock in 2021 so I looked into them.

erronis

(19,933 posts)
3. Yup. Remember when I first became aware of them and their inside track to the US intelligence communitiess
Mon May 26, 2025, 11:42 AM
Monday
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palantir_Technologies

I knew then that they would be up to no good, except enriching themselves.

SharonAnn

(14,053 posts)
9. I've known of them since the InsLaw days and "The Octopus Murders"
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:30 PM
Monday

InsLaw was the first software that I knew of (in the 1980’s?) that scanned data files from various sources and tied together related entries. Scared even back then. Now with Musk’s theft of all our data in government files the new generation, Palantir, is absolutely terrifying.

UpInArms

(52,833 posts)
4. Palantir is Peter Thiel
Mon May 26, 2025, 11:46 AM
Monday

EVIL EVIL EVIL

eta

The Man Who’s Everywhere: 7 Peter Thiel Companies


Peter Thiel is a powerful but low-profile figure in tech and politics, with significant investments in major companies like Palantir, PayPal, Meta, and OpenAI.
Thiel’s investments and political affiliations have positioned him as a key behind-the-scenes player in the U.S. government.
His network extends deep into the White House, with key allies like JD Vance and David Sacks holding influential roles in Trump’s administration.
As of 2025, Thiel’s net worth exceeds $20 billion, fueled by his early exits from PayPal and Facebook and ongoing tech investments.

Peter Thiel has long been a shadowy yet dominant figure in the tech world, wielding influence across a vast network of companies that are shaping the modern digital landscape. While he is less outspoken than figures like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, his strategic investments and political connections make him one of the most powerful individuals in technology and politics.

Thiel was an early backer of Donald Trump in 2016 and remains closely aligned with figures like Vice President JD Vance. More recently, despite a publicized fallout with Trump, he is rumored to have indirect ties to the DOGE government takeover.

To truly grasp Thiel’s influence, one must examine his investments and affiliations. In this article, we’ll explore the major tech companies in which Peter Thiel has played a crucial role, either as an investor, founder, or board member.


Palantir Technologies PLTR Alex Karp Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence
PayPal PYPL Alex Chriss Financial Technology
Meta META Mark Zuckerberg Social Media & Advertising
OpenAI N/A Sam Altman Artificial Intelligence
Stripe N/A Patrick Collison Financial Technology
Anduril Industries N/A Brian Schimpf Military AI & Autonomous Defense
Rumble RUM Chris Pavlovski Social Media & Video Hosting

Glaisne

(573 posts)
20. Thiel is indeed evil.
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:19 PM
Monday

He is a behind the scenes fascist architect. He is a POS asshole that more people need to know about. He's a big reason for Trump and our growing fascist authoritarianism.

lostnfound

(17,000 posts)
42. Calling JD Vance an 'ally' of Thiel is an understatement. He is a protege and a Thiel-sponsored tool. Nt
Mon May 26, 2025, 07:08 PM
Monday

Snarkoleptic

(6,135 posts)
5. What if I told you "DOGE" was about data harvesting rather than it's professed purpose.
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:03 PM
Monday

Tech broligarchs want all of your information.

bucolic_frolic

(50,616 posts)
7. Yes, known about it since mid-2022
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:13 PM
Monday

Rec'd by Kathy Wood, hedge fund guru, disciple of Arthur Laffer, Reagan econ guy. Heritage, Hoover area, I think.

DENVERPOPS

(12,390 posts)
14. Wasn't there a movie about this years ago
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:47 PM
Monday

along a theme of "NO MORE SECRETS" ? May be with Redford and Ben Kingsley??????? I will have to look it up on IMDB

Looked it up: SNEAKERS...........1992

lonely bird

(2,334 posts)
23. Yup
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:28 PM
Monday

“Too Many Secrets” spelled out with Scrabble pieces.

Redford, Kingsley, Sidney Poitier.

Prairie_Seagull

(4,213 posts)
15. Heard about but didn't know of.
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:51 PM
Monday

Thanks Jilly, I think.

Scary shit and the genie is free never to be put back in the bottle.

IMO

MiHale

(11,728 posts)
16. Yep, heard all about them...
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:54 PM
Monday

Palantir Technologies Inc. is an American publicly-traded company that specializes in software platforms for big data analytics. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, it was founded by Peter Thiel, Stephen Cohen, Joe Lonsdale, and Alex Karp in 2003.

Source Wikipedia.

Auggie

(32,308 posts)
17. Testimonials from partner/clients (from the Palantir homepage):
Mon May 26, 2025, 12:54 PM
Monday

Partial list:

AARP
AT&T
Heineken
United Airlines
Lowe's
Fujitsu
Panasonic Energy North America
Walgreens
General Mills
Lennar
Archer Aviation
Tampa General Hospital
Eaton
HCA Healthcare
Wendy's Supply Chain CO-OP
L3Harris

https://www.palantir.com

Thanks for sharing

calimary

(86,496 posts)
33. Good info.
Mon May 26, 2025, 03:26 PM
Monday

No - GREAT info!!!

Palantir: a back-end beast, the silent spine of modern surveillance infrastructure.

BobTheSubgenius

(12,013 posts)
18. This reminds me of "The Machine" from an action-oriented TV program from several years ago.
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:10 PM
Monday

Person Of Interest. I guess the show wasn't so sci-fi, but more predictive.

Karasu

(1,264 posts)
19. Oh, I've known of them. Unfortunately, however, most have NO idea...and not nearly enough attention has been paid to
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:13 PM
Monday

them in recent years. Hell, the media in this country pretends they don't fucking exist.

Glaisne

(573 posts)
21. And who is anomalist, different and a potential threat?
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:23 PM
Monday

Anyone who is not white, male, christian nationalist, fascist, rich, and connected. And even then still not above suspicion. In other words almost everyone except a select few.

lonely bird

(2,334 posts)
25. Well, yes and no
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:34 PM
Monday

The anomalies will be those who don’t subscribe to the Techbros idea of utopia. The White, Christian Nationalists, fascists et al will be useful fellow travelers…until they are not.

The two tier society is being cemented into place.

The Techbros and fellow traveler wealth will need service and diversions. A small percentage of people will supply that. There will be a rank that falls between the tiers. That will be middle management which will handle the underlying infrastructure of said society. Everyone else will be below.

highplainsdem

(56,294 posts)
26. Yes. I've posted a few threads about them the last couple of years:
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:35 PM
Monday

Palantir's Plan for AI: 'Just Take the Whole Market' (including for military weapons)
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217901033

Palantir's CEO uses NYT op-ed to take a swipe at "coastal elites" not eager to work on AI weapons
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218118031

Palantir Is Helping DOGE With a Massive IRS Data Project
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143438974

ICE Just Paid Palantir Tens of Millions for 'Complete Target Analysis of Known Populations'
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143441857

And I've posted several threads on Palantir cofounder and chairman Peter Thiel's craziness and racism.

multigraincracker

(35,734 posts)
27. When McKINSEY COMES TO TOWN..Another one that will blow your mind.
Mon May 26, 2025, 01:37 PM
Monday

The hidden influence of the world's most powerful consulting firm..Even some of our favorite Dems worked for them and signed NDAs so they can't talk about it.
Highly recommend it too.

Martin Eden

(14,389 posts)
29. Palantir was a seeing stone in Lord of the Rings
Mon May 26, 2025, 02:07 PM
Monday

These spheres allowed the users to see things and communicate at great distances.

Aptly named.

GiqueCee

(2,289 posts)
41. I hate...
Mon May 26, 2025, 05:58 PM
Monday

... that they stole their name from J.J.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, but it's appropriate that it was a tool of Sauron's bottomless evil. Unfortunately, this time the evil is real, not fantasy.

soldierant

(8,576 posts)
47. It was not created as a tool for Sauron's evil
Tue May 27, 2025, 04:18 AM
Tuesday

but was, like everything else Sauron touched, corrupted by him. (Gee, who have I heard that about recently?)

I learned about them a couple of weeks ago, and my first thought was that if I were Christopher Tolkien I would be doing my best to sue the pants off them for contaminating my father's legacy.

CaptainTruth

(7,673 posts)
45. I saw the post & thought "Palantir."
Mon May 26, 2025, 08:24 PM
Monday

I've been watching them for a while.

With Trump in office their stock is up 64% year to date. It's been an attractive investment but I've refused to buy any because I don't like what they do.

Damn shame, Trump has been hard on my IRA.

EuterpeThelo

(48 posts)
46. I remember
Mon May 26, 2025, 09:41 PM
Monday

shaming one of the attorneys I worked with a couple of years ago when he went over there. Been aware of them since at least 2019.

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