It was an Instagram reel that stopped me scrolling and made me watch it again, incredulous although, sadly, unsurprised, at what was claimed to be the latest outrage perpetuated by the Trump regime.
The claim?
That Palantir, the all-too-powerful behemoth of a digital surveillance company, has been given unparalleled access to all records held by the US government on US citizens, with a brief to “de-silo” these records: from the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defence. And that they were also sucking in all of the social media data on each US individual into this miasma of data too.
So I googled, I plexed (the verb I’ve made up for searching on Perplexity – see, it’s not only Trump who can make up words!) and I newsguarded (…later).
The claim isn’t 100% true, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not ultimately terrifying…
The US government has indeed confirmed that Palantir is hired by the US government to “provide software platforms…that allow federal agencies to collect, organize, and analyze vast amounts of data from multiple sources. This technology is used by agencies such as (the above mentioned agencies).” (Perplexity)
Although Palantir has been working for the US gvt for a while now (Democrats, I’m looking at you), “Palantir’s role has expanded significantly under the Trump administration…it has been tasked with helping to break down data silos between agencies, enabling more seamless data sharing and analysis” which “includes contracts to bild systems for tracking the movement of migrants, supporting law enforcement and national security operations, and potentially creating comprehensive registries of personal information on Americans.”
According to the New York Times, “The Trump administration has already sought access to hundreds of data points on citizens and others through government databases, including their bank account numbers, the amount of their student debt, their medical claims and any disability status.”
Privacy advocates are filing lawsuits to block data access, with the worry top of mind that the administration could make use of this mass of personal information to target and punish critics of their policies.
The only thing that isn’t (yet) true – at least in that it’s not been proven – is that this trawl of data on US citizens includes their social media posts and comments…then again, with proven incidents of US customs people checking incoming travellers’ social media to see if they’ve made any negative comments about the Trump administration (and with tourists and non-US citizens at least often being turned around and sent back to where they came from, sometimes after days and even weeks in holding cells); and with the folding of Zuckerberg et al to kowtow to the Trump administration’s every whim, I don’t see that as being a long time in coming.
Indie.
For a long time the word “indie” has been reflexively used to describe a style of music, a type of book shop, a type of funding for filmmaking, I’ve always seen “indie” as a whole lot more than that.
Indie is independent.
Indie or independent thinking is the conscious choice to resist uncritically adopting mainstream or widely accepted viewpoints.
It involves actively questioning, analyzing, and forming one’s own understanding of the world rather than passively absorbing dominant narratives. This mindset encourages intellectual autonomy, skepticism toward mass influence, and a commitment to exploring diverse perspectives.
In the context of news and information, independent thinking often aligns with seeking out news sources that operate free from corporate ownership, billionaire influence, or political agendas.
Such independent news establishments strive to provide unbiased, thoughtful, and well-analyzed reporting, empowering individuals to make informed decisions rather than being swayed by homogenized or commercially driven media.
Ultimately, indie thinking champions freedom of thought, critical engagement, and the courage to see beyond prevailing norms to uncover deeper truths.
Images taken from midjourney, the Liberty Statue image from user bahadiradalya and the binocular image from user u9311478882.
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