19 July 2019

Palantir: It's More Than "Souped-Up" Surveillance Software >

Sooner or later, thanks to two reports years apart, we now know that Peter Thiel's Palantier (from the same dude that created 'Pay Pal) helped the National Security Agency spy on the entire world, is also used Law Enforcement Agencies and The Department of Homeland Security.
No doubt about it Now
Whatever data can be collected is collected.
Public Records Request Nets User's Manual For Palantir's Souped-Up Surveillance Software

"Palantir is the 800-pound gorilla of data analytics.
It has created a massive surveillance apparatus that pulls info from multiple sources to give law enforcement convenient places to dip into the data stream. Law enforcement databases may focus on criminals, but Palantir's efforts focus on everyone.
Whatever can be collected is collected.
________________________________________________________________ 
Palantir provides both the data and the front end, making it easy for government agencies to not only track criminal suspects, but everyone they've ever associated with.
Palantir is big. But being the biggest player in the market doesn't exactly encourage quality work or accountability.
Multiple problems have already been noticed by the company's numerous law enforcement customers -- including the company's apparent inability to responsibly handle data -- but complaints from agencies tied into multi-year contracts are pretty easy to ignore. Palantir says it provides "actionable data." Sounds pretty cool, but in practice this means things like cops firing guns at innocent people because the software spat out faulty suspect/vehicle descriptions.
Agencies must see the value in Palantir's products because few seem willing to ditch these data analytics packages. The company does a fairly good job dropping a usable interface on top of its data haystacks. It sells well. And it's proprietary, which means Palantir can get into the policing business without actually having to engage in the accountability and openness expected of government agencies.
Fortunately for the public, government agencies still have to respond to public records requests -- even if the documents sought detail private vendors' offerings. Vice has obtained part of a user's manual for Palantir Gotham, which is used by a number of state and federal agencies.
This software appears to be used by "fusion centers," the DHS-created abominations that do serious damage to civil liberties but produce very little usable intelligence . . .
READ MORE > https://www.techdirt.com 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
From The Intercept:
How Peter Thiel’s Palantir Helped the NSA Spy
on the Whole World