Palantir
Magical seeing sphere
Palantir is a data analytics company founded in 2003, named after the seeing-stones in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
The company builds software for intelligence agencies and large organizations to integrate and analyze vast datasets: Palantir's contracts with ICE drew protests.
The name has become shorthand for surveillance-state technology, carrying both awe at its capabilities and unease about its applications.
Fantasy saga, one band's destruction
- crystal ballFortune-teller's viewing sphere
- visionAbility to see
- Middle-earthFantasy world with hobbits
- SilmarillionFantasy prehistory compendium
Sauron · Saruman · Minas Tirith · Gandalf · Aragorn · communication · corruption · far-seeing
Examining information for patterns
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- GothamNew York City nickname
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
- government contractsState purchasing agreements
big data · Silicon Valley · intelligence · software · national security · predictive policing · ICE · controversial
Lord of the Rings
Fantasy saga, one band's destruction
- crystal ballFortune-teller's viewing sphere
- visionAbility to see
- Middle-earthFantasy world with hobbits
Sauron · Saruman · Minas Tirith · Gandalf · Silmarillion · Aragorn · communication · corruption · far-seeing · scrying
data analytics
Examining information for patterns
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- GothamNew York City nickname
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
government contracts · big data · Silicon Valley · intelligence · software · national security · predictive policing · ICE · controversial · defense contractor
PalantirSignal
Private messaging service
ProtonMail · DuckDuckGo · encrypted messaging · ACLU · encryption