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Palantir has no place in UK public services

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Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#11

Post by notpushkin »

linkjuice4all wrote: post #9
deaux wrote: post #5

Correct. Neither do Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Apple - realistically they're even more dangerous, see the ICC. Ironically the first three being the main hosts of.. you guessed it, Palantir. Picking and choosing US big tech in this context is pointless, they're all as much of a risk as each other. And don't come with "you have to start somewhere", because you do, but then the place to start is slowly step-by-step g…

It seems like there's a big opportunity for someone to hire a bunch of disenfranchised US devs that want to flee the country to build an EU-native cloud platform - but clearly there's enough talent on the continent already, so why hasn't this happened yet?

Because it’s not a dev problem, it’s a sales problem.

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#12

Post by tombert »

The more I read about Palantir, the creepier and weirder it becomes. The CEO brags about wanting to kill all journalists with fentanyl, or brags about how their software will be used to kill people, and how readily they're willing to work for the convicted fraudster that America felt fit to give the nuclear codes.

And despite this company being creepy and weird and bizarre and secretive, they are also trying to make themselves a lifestyle brand by selling merchandise. If I felt like spending $150 for a Palantir-based hoodie, I guess I can normally do that [1], but disturbingly it is apparently "sold out". Apparently a lot of people really want to buy an overpriced sweater, or maybe they're trying to preemptively buy social credit.

Who knows. Everything is terrible.

[1] https://store.palantir.com/

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#13

Post by amarant »

linkjuice4all wrote: post #9
deaux wrote: post #5

Correct. Neither do Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Apple - realistically they're even more dangerous, see the ICC. Ironically the first three being the main hosts of.. you guessed it, Palantir. Picking and choosing US big tech in this context is pointless, they're all as much of a risk as each other. And don't come with "you have to start somewhere", because you do, but then the place to start is slowly step-by-step g…

It seems like there's a big opportunity for someone to hire a bunch of disenfranchised US devs that want to flee the country to build an EU-native cloud platform - but clearly there's enough talent on the continent already, so why hasn't this happened yet?

It has! Here's a whole list of them, but others might exist too!

https://european-alternatives.eu/category/cloud-computing-pl...

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#14

Post by throwaway150 »

ronsor wrote: post #4
mc32 wrote: post #2

The UK is building/has built a surveillance state using the boiling frog method. So even if you change vendors, surveillance will continue. You have accepted it as par for the course. Unless you reject it and subsequent politicians don't double-cross you, surveillance will continue. No question.

UK society has always been surprisingly tolerant of mass surveillance. Whether Palantir is involved or not, I think it may be too late to get off the train.

I know UK is ok with surveillance in public places because there is no expectation of privacy in public spaces. But are they really tolerant of surveillance in non-public places?

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#15

Post by rorylawless »

notpushkin wrote: post #11
linkjuice4all wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like there's a big opportunity for someone to hire a bunch of disenfranchised US devs that want to flee the country to build an EU-native cloud platform - but clearly there's enough talent on the continent already, so why hasn't this happened yet?

Because it’s not a dev problem, it’s a sales problem.

The sales problem being there isn't anything viable to compete with the established players. Europe has the capability, even without immigration from the US, it just needs a kick to make good enough products.

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#16

Post by rorylawless »

throwaway150 wrote: post #14
ronsor wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UK society has always been surprisingly tolerant of mass surveillance. Whether Palantir is involved or not, I think it may be too late to get off the train.

I know UK is ok with surveillance in public places because there is no expectation of privacy in public spaces. But are they really tolerant of surveillance in non-public places?

No, not at all. The surveillance state nonsense is overplayed online.

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#17

Post by nextos »

tombert wrote: post #12

The more I read about Palantir, the creepier and weirder it becomes. The CEO brags about wanting to kill all journalists with fentanyl, or brags about how their software will be used to kill people, and how readily they're willing to work for the convicted fraudster that America felt fit to give the nuclear codes. And despite this company being creepy and weird and bizarre and secretive, they are also trying to make…

Ironically, the Danish Government is a heavy user of Palantir systems, including creepy predictive policing solutions.

I would be keen to know if citizen data is being handled correctly, following GDPR/LED.

Given previous Danish client-state-like cooperation with NSA to spy on other EU countries, I can imagine the answer.

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#19

Post by SilverElfin »

rorylawless wrote: post #15
notpushkin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it’s not a dev problem, it’s a sales problem.

The sales problem being there isn't anything viable to compete with the established players. Europe has the capability, even without immigration from the US, it just needs a kick to make good enough products.

The EU should also create a new regulation to force everyone on the continent to move away from American companies. That’s one way to give the local startups a market to sell to.

Re: Palantir has no place in UK public services

#20

Post by SilverElfin »

davidw wrote: post #7
deaux wrote: post #5

Correct. Neither do Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Apple - realistically they're even more dangerous, see the ICC. Ironically the first three being the main hosts of.. you guessed it, Palantir. Picking and choosing US big tech in this context is pointless, they're all as much of a risk as each other. And don't come with "you have to start somewhere", because you do, but then the place to start is slowly step-by-step g…

Among other things, with everything going on in the US today, the CEOs of Apple and Amazon were apparently at the WH for a screening of the Melania film.

Amazon funded it. They paid $30 million or so for rights to the documentary for Amazon Prime. I doubt viewers will care about it, but I look at it as a bribe from Amazon to the administration. They give Melania and by extension Trump this money, and they will get better regulatory help and more government contracts.
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