Does Palantir have a profile on you ?
Probably.
Founded in 2003 Palantir Technologies, was started by Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, is a U.S.-based software giant that formed after revealed September 11th 2001 after revealing intelligence gabs to the United States' government
Now in 2025 they specialize in big data analytics, with a market cap exceeding $100 billion in 2025. Its products,
Gotham and Foundry, integrate vast datasets for clients in government, finance, and healthcare, enabling pattern detection and predictive insights.
Originally developed for CIA-backed counterterrorism, Palantir now serves 75% of the Fortune 500 and agencies like the DHS and IRS with its "master database" initiative, merging Social Security, tax, and immigration records for fraud detection and enforcement.
Let ObjectWire unpack Palantir's capabilities for you; - data collection, profile types, privacy concerns, legal frameworks, and how to reclaim control.
Palantir's Evolution: From CIA Startup to Surveillance Giant
Palantir began as a post-9/11 venture with $2 million in In-Q-Tel funding, evolving from anti-terror tools to enterprise software. By 2010, Gotham powered ICE operations, tracking immigrants via predictive policing. T
As of October 2025, it processes petabytes daily, using AI to "connect the dots" on individuals, from tattoo patterns to social networks. Critics, including former employees, warn of a
"digital ID" system, while Palantir claims ethical use. With $113 million in federal contracts YTD, its reach is vast, raising questions: If you've posted online, filed taxes, or traveled, fragments of your life may feed its algorithms.
How Palantir Collects and Integrates Data
Palantir doesn't "collect" data independently; it analyzes what clients provide, government records, social media, financials, and biometrics, from 100+ million sources. Gotham, used by DHS and FBI, fuses license plate data, arrest logs, and immigration files to build intelligence profiles. Foundry, for corporations, ingests ERP systems and public APIs. In 2025, expansions to SSA and IRS enable cross-referencing for "risky" behaviors, like fraud or immigration flags.
Tools like visual listening scan images for identifiers (e.g., tattoos), while AI correlates seemingly innocuous data, travel history, purchases, into behavioral maps. If you're in the U.S., public records (voter rolls, property deeds) or social posts could contribute, especially via agency clients. Palantir asserts client-set parameters limit scope, but opacity fuels fears of overreach.
Privacy Concerns and Controversies Surrounding Palantir
Palantir's data prowess sparks dystopian fears: a 2025 Guardian op-ed called it a "grave threat," citing its role in racial profiling and deportations. Former engineer Linda Xia warned of misuse in Trump's database, potentially targeting opponents via social media and financials. With $113 million in 2025 federal funds, critics like the ACLU decry "mass surveillance," as Gotham enables predictive policing with 85% accuracy in threat flagging.
Palantir denies unlawful spying, emphasizing client controls and GDPR compliance, but opacity persists, no public audits. A 2025 WIRED exposé revealed DOGE's data centralization, echoing ICE's 2017 use for 1 million+ deportations. Ethical lapses, like 2024 employee protests over Gaza surveillance, underscore tensions between utility and rights in a firm valued at $100B+.
How to Remove or Opt Out of Your Palantir Profile
Directly "removing" a Palantir profile is impossible—it's client-generated, not a consumer database. However, minimize exposure:
- Opt Out of Data Brokers: Use services like DeleteMe ($129/year) to scrub info from 750+ brokers feeding Palantir's sources; CCPA allows California residents free requests.
- Limit Public Data: Delete old social posts, use privacy settings (e.g., Facebook's Off-Facebook Activity), and avoid sharing biometrics.
- NHS/UK Opt-Out: For UK residents, use National Data Opt-Out to block sharing with Palantir's FDP; 48% plan opt-outs per YouGov 2025 poll.
- Browser Tools: Enable Global Privacy Control (GPC) to signal opt-outs; use VPNs and DuckDuckGo to mask IP/activity.
- Legal Recourse: File CCPA requests at privacy@palantir.com for access/deletion (limited efficacy); join ACLU lawsuits challenging contracts.
Palantir's policy honors opt-outs for marketing but not client data—focus on source reduction for lasting protection.
Palantir's Shadowy Profiles and Your Digital Defenses
Palantir's Gotham and Foundry weave public, government, and commercial data into potent profiles, powering 2025's "master database" for enforcement and analytics. From Thiel's CIA roots to Trump's DOGE expansions, it blurs utility and surveillance, processing petabytes that likely include you, if you've tweeted, taxed, or traveled. Amid $2.5B revenue and ethical firestorms, regulations like CCPA offer shields, but true opt-outs demand proactive privacy. As AI amplifies risks, vigilance is key curate your digital self before algorithms do.
For more on data privacy, visit Objectwire.org.
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