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How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

theintercept.com

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Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#21

Post by clydethefrog »

griffinmmahon wrote: post #11

As far as I can tell, there's no new "technology" in whatever product Palantir offers (I have briefly used it before?). It seems to me that it's just a program for data visualization, which given that the government is one of their customers, is quite the grifting of the public.

The technology in the first iPhone ten years ago also existed for many years. Look how much society has changed thanks to Apple strategy of combining technology with design and good usability.

That's the real and in my opinion frightening innovation behind Palantir. It's selling mass surveillance that "just works".

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#22

Post by Dagwoodie »

reese_john wrote: post #8
trome wrote: post #2

So, why does anyone pay attention to the truly awful human being known as Peter Thiel? Between his plots to destroy the infrastructure that allowed PayPal and Y Combinator to be built, and his active attempts to rip away rights from other LGBT people, of which he is one, it seems like a poor idea to pay this person any mind.

What are some of his active attempts to rip away LGBT rights?

He voted for a Republican.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#23

Post by fauigerzigerk »

trome wrote: post #2

So, why does anyone pay attention to the truly awful human being known as Peter Thiel? Between his plots to destroy the infrastructure that allowed PayPal and Y Combinator to be built, and his active attempts to rip away rights from other LGBT people, of which he is one, it seems like a poor idea to pay this person any mind.

I have long stopped paying attention to what he says, not because he is an awful human being, but simply because his addiction to being contrarian seems to Trump all other considerations to a degree that makes his positions utterly predictable, boring and uninsightful.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#24

Post by zzzeek »

angry-hacker wrote: post #17

What about ex president Obama who actually used the tech? So much outrage for Thiel, but where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world? Ps. I think Thiel is a hypocrite if he really thinks himself as libertarian. Also, despite having money and power I think he has big balls to go against SV where he made himself. I also don't understand how did he became so powerful, every time he talks.. He has charisma of…

> but where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world?

right here:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/26/nsa-rally-stop...

now stop derailing. Thiel is the one in power right now.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#25

Post by alphonsegaston »

lightbyte wrote: post #20
AndyMcConachie wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is blatant capitalism in conflict with libertarianism? I ask this question genuinely because I never know what Americans mean when they use the term libertarian with a small L. What specifically about this ideology is being broken here? I understand American libertarianism to be based in selfishness and greed to the collective benefit of society. So that if we're all greedy and act out of our own best interest so…

American libertarianism is about excluding the government from as much as you possibly can. Mass surveillance of a states citizens if practically the antithesis of that.

I never understood the mentality that unchecked power is only unacceptable when wielded by a government. For example, it's wrong for the government to surveil all its citizens but fine for a private company to do so, even if the end result makes life just as untenable (e.g. unable to get a job/housing because of credit checks, get access to healthcare because of pre-existing conditions). Given the trajectory of American democracy, it's hard to look at libertarianism as anything other than an ideological ruse to dismantle all the protections preventing an authoritarian Capitalist state.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#27

Post by zip1234 »

Nokinside wrote: post #13
zip1234 wrote: post #10

Palantir makes an analysis tool. Excel is also used for Intel analysis. Does that make Bill Gates evil? Poor click bait article that starts off with personal attacks and is completely meant to sensationalize what is basically a souped up MS Excel.

Someone might argue that there is difference between off the shelf analysis tool and government contractor selling his services.

A fair critique although Microsoft is also a government contractor. I suppose the difference is that their income is not entirely dependent on the government.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#28

Post by ygaf »

zzzeek wrote: post #24
angry-hacker wrote: post #17

What about ex president Obama who actually used the tech? So much outrage for Thiel, but where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world? Ps. I think Thiel is a hypocrite if he really thinks himself as libertarian. Also, despite having money and power I think he has big balls to go against SV where he made himself. I also don't understand how did he became so powerful, every time he talks.. He has charisma of…

> but where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world? right here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/26/nsa-rally-stop... now stop derailing. Thiel is the one in power right now.

"Yes We Scan", I remember that.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#29

Post by 0x27081990 »

Most comments here seem to hate Peter Thiel, but when it comes to Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Page (all whom seem to be in bed with governments since a long time and worked with Hillary Clinton's campaign staff), well there's nothing wrong there because democrats are the good guys, right?

What would you do in their place? They don't make the rules. Government does, and you vote for government. So don't try to blame them.

IBM, Microsoft and RedHat main clients are the US Government. You think they don't have backdoors? What about Google and Facebook?

For the record, I'm not even American so don't start calling me whatever you call Trump supporters. I'm libertarian.

Re: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir helped expand the NSA’s global spy network

#30

Post by hammocks »

alphonsegaston wrote: post #25
lightbyte wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

American libertarianism is about excluding the government from as much as you possibly can. Mass surveillance of a states citizens if practically the antithesis of that.

I never understood the mentality that unchecked power is only unacceptable when wielded by a government. For example, it's wrong for the government to surveil all its citizens but fine for a private company to do so, even if the end result makes life just as untenable (e.g. unable to get a job/housing because of credit checks, get access to healthcare because of pre-existing conditions). Given the trajectory of Ameri…

>I never understood the mentality that unchecked power is only unacceptable when wielded by a government.

That's not really the libertarian mentality. It's closer to something like, any power (or just about any power) in the hands of a state with a legitimate monopoly on violence is unacceptable.

That mentality then manifests itself in policy proposals in a number of ways including decentralized military and police power (states rights, militias, second amendment, etc) as well as limited powers within jurisdictions, especially federal.

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