Palantir's Controversial Data Collection Raises Concerns About Privacy and Surveillance

The data analytics company's partnerships with law enforcement and military raise fears of government overreach.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Palantir, a data analytics company founded in 2003, has come under scrutiny for its partnerships with law enforcement agencies and the military, as well as its extensive data collection practices. Critics argue that Palantir's technology could be used to track and target individuals, violating privacy rights and enabling government surveillance.

Why it matters

Palantir's involvement with agencies like the FBI, ICE, and various police departments has raised concerns about the potential for abuse of its data collection and analysis capabilities. There are fears that the company's technology could be used to profile and target individuals, particularly marginalized communities, based on factors like immigration status, race, and political views.

The details

Palantir has been reported to have assisted the FBI and ICE with tracking potential undocumented immigrants and compiling evidence to deport them. Several police departments, such as the NOPD, have also been reported to use Palantir software to racially profile individuals using facial recognition and predictive policing. Additionally, Palantir has been involved in the ongoing war in Gaza, where its information-gathering capabilities have allegedly led to the deaths of Palestinian journalists.

  • Palantir was founded in 2003 in Silicon Valley, but later moved its headquarters to Denver, Colorado.
  • Palantir only debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in 2020, after 16 years of financial secrecy.
  • In 2025, Palantir was given a contract in the United Kingdom to manage the data of the National Health Service.

The players

Palantir

A data analytics company that has received funding from the CIA's venture capital arm, In-Q-Tel, and has partnered with various law enforcement agencies and the military.

Peter Thiel

One of the co-founders of Palantir and an open supporter of the company's collaboration with the Trump administration.

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What they’re saying

“Palantir's involvement in military affairs can be seen in the ongoing war in Gaza. Peter Thiel has been open about Palantir Technologies' involvement in the war, partnering with the Israeli Defense Forces. According to reports, the use of social media information and cellphone tracking has led to thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of deaths.”

— Alexander Goodrich, Author (vocal.media)

“Palantir's open support and collaboration with President Trump's administration, combined with its massive data collection initiative and substantial wealth, have sparked serious anxiety about the threat of Fascism or general authoritarianism in the government, as the current situation has been observed to mirror the rise of Fascism in Germany and Italy in the 1930s, with the historical cooperation between Corporate and Government entities and their suppression of free speech and personal privacy, through their domestic espionage organizations.”

— Alexander Goodrich, Author (vocal.media)

What’s next

Advocates are calling for increased restrictions on the types of information Palantir is allowed to gather, in order to protect the privacy of American citizens and the citizens of allied countries. There are also calls for Palantir to be defunded and for more intense study of the company's practices and potential for abuse.

The takeaway

Palantir's extensive data collection and partnerships with law enforcement and the military have raised serious concerns about the potential for government overreach, surveillance, and the violation of civil liberties. As the company's influence grows, there is a pressing need to address these issues and ensure that the rights and privacy of citizens are protected.