this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2026
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Seriously. This is not new. The whole Prism thing before Palantir had all the data but not the ontology. I’m glad Europe learnt from Snowden.
I’m afraid Germany hasn’t learned anything from him: In the state where I live, the state government unfortunately decided late last year to implement Palantir, even going so far as to amend the police law specifically to retroactively lend at least the appearance of legality to a contract for the purchase of the U.S. mass surveillance software "Gotham" that had already been concluded unlawfully.
There was significant public resistance, but it was simply ignored.
It may still be possible to prevent this through a lawsuit filed with the Constitutional Court, as the use of such applications for groundless mass surveillance is unconstitutional in Germany due to the right to informational self-determination - and I also find it hard to believe that such a thing is compatible with EU law.
I think our politicians must have been bribed. I can’t explain it any other way, because even just from security standpoint, it goes without saying that it’s insane to pass even the most sensitive data directly to the fascist regime in the US - thanks to Snowden, we all know that there’s almost certainly a backdoor.
Sorry, this is the first I've heard of Palantir Gotham.
Jesus Christ, I hate media-illiterate nerds. Batman, famously, DOESN'T TRUST COPS!
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It's painful to read Palantir still being used in EU as well..
The UK is handing data on every citizen to Palantir as they integrate it into (what remains of) the health service. Starmer's government is extremely stupid.
Germany, Spain, and possibly the Netherlands have purchased contracts for Pegasus. Spain already used it on some activists.
Folks: you gotta stop saying Trump Trump Trump. He doesn't personally give a shit about any database. The capitalist oligarchy that put him in office does. He's not a great man but the money behind him is massive. Don't be fooled.
I understand this and to a certain extent it's true, but the tendency to say everything is bad because of one guy is preventing actual change because it's not one guy, it is the structure.
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Another one?
If a private company does it, they can "sell" the data to the government and all the government needs to see it is pay.
If the government has the data, then there is laws and regulations about how they use it.
Like most things trump does, the problem already existed, most people were just ignorant until someone as stupid as trump tried to trick them.
That's why we keep seeing people acting shocked that trump is doing what's been done for decades. The problem is they tend to act like trump and refuse to accept that they realized late. But at least they're finally starting to notice
It's already happening. They just want to legalize it for other use.
There is no single database for all of this information (but thanks to Palantir there will be for all of this and more), so that is definitely new.
The tip of the authoritarian easy button iceberg:
•The Central Intelligence Agency has been granted increased access to domestic law enforcement databases, further blurring the line between foreign intelligence and domestic policing.
•The so-called Department of Government Efficiency got direct access to Treasury Department payment systems, including Social Security numbers, names, and birthdays, according to a whistleblower.
•Immigration and Customs Enforcement got access to Medicaid recipients’ data and banking information.
•The Transportation Security Administration is now sharing biometric passenger info with immigration enforcement, turning every airport check-in into a potential trap.
It depends on how you want to define "database" as to whether or not this already existed. Traditional database like a SQL database... Probably. But... Look into the Utah Data Center.
Gotta thank Oracle too. Ellison/Oracle has been pushing multiple countries to do this consolidation, not just the US
They already have. Thats what DOGE was for. The massive data centers are critical infrastructure for the AI surveillance state.
i remember in 2016 when the republican database of citizens leaked. it had like 25 variables per person. i downloaded it (i think i might still have it) and it was about as right as the algorithm that thinks i'm a radiological oncologist.
all it had correct about me was my address.
10 years later their tools are unfathomably better.
the algorithm still thinks i'm a radiological oncologist.
I think you misread it, it actually now thinks that you're a radical oncologist
And the President is a pig-faced child-raping traitor.
Put that in the database, too.
If I’ve been doing anything right I’m already in several.
Lmao fun fact everyone, you are already in many massive secret government databases and have been for years, long predating Trump
Another one? How many databases do they need us in?
Ultimately this sounds fucking stonks for the so-called private prison industry.
Tinfoil hat, perpetually mad at the government types still silent for some reason.
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Okay, make sure that you put a note next to my name that I really don't give a fuck.
Put one next to nine that reads "Better a pig than a fascist"
Excuse me while I begin preparing to hold my breath on the belief that the next Democratic administration will not only not abuse this system, but will actually abolish it.
i will raise your bet to one donut and coffee, i say less-flagrantly abuse but pretend they have stopped, only to have expanded the entire time. also a reminder to breathe you need that to live
No one probably told him about the ones that already exist. That or he's jealous someone else already made it.
I think it's just for tweens.
Doubtless that would be bad if Trump could read.
Dumbass. Elon and doge beat him to it. People should be furious.
It's not really a secret.
Well, not so secret
Wasn't this what Oracle was literally made for?
Most people want to put him through a wall.
Is “massive” the Trump administration’s word of the day today or what?
And people wonder why I have such a hair up my ass about all the data and information large tech collects on us. Organize and arm up.
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