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Don't let American Palantir infiltrate our society
🇸🇪 Sweden /Technology

Don't let American Palantir infiltrate our society

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified Context piece
  • Sweden's police are using AI surveillance software developed by the American company Palantir.
  • Critics warn that sensitive data on Swedish citizens could be stored on U.S. servers, with unknown usage.
  • The article expresses concern that Palantir's technology could undermine democracy and national sovereignty.

Swedish police are employing artificial intelligence for surveillance through software developed by the American company Palantir, a move that has sparked significant concern. The author argues this represents a dangerous step that could undermine Swedish democracy and national sovereignty.

The Swedish police's use of American-owned artificial intelligence for surveillance is a dangerous step. We must protect our democracy and not allow ourselves to be manipulated by the company Palantir.

— Iwan LangermoThe author's main argument against Palantir's involvement with Swedish police.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer's response to parliamentary questions about Palantir was vague, with the minister deeming the technology "ethically neutral." The author strongly disagrees, highlighting Palantir's business model of analyzing vast amounts of data using AI, primarily for military, police, and corporate clients.

The article points to Palantir's controversial co-founder, Peter Thiel, who has expressed skepticism about the compatibility of freedom and democracy. Thiel's influence is also noted in the career of U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Palantir's CEO, Alex Karp, shares similar views focused on conflict, dominance, and control, suggesting the company aims to assume roles traditionally held by states in surveillance, law enforcement, and defense.

What does Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer know about Palantir, one of the world's most powerful companies? The question was recently asked in parliament. Strömmer's answer was vague. He considered the technology used to be 'ethically neutral.' I disagree.

— Iwan LangermoExpressing skepticism about the Swedish Justice Minister's understanding of Palantir.

Named after a dark sphere from Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" used for information gathering, Palantir's software is designed for control. The company has faced scrutiny for its role in tracking undocumented immigrants in the U.S. via its collaboration with ICE. Furthermore, Palantir has partnered with Israel's Ministry of Defense since 2023, with Karp reportedly boasting about supporting the Israeli military's actions in Gaza, which UN experts have flagged as potentially profiting from the conflict.

The most important thing is that I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.

— Peter ThielQuoted to illustrate the controversial views of Palantir's co-founder.

In Sweden, a Dagens ETC investigation revealed that police are using Palantir's Acus software, which integrates data from police records with information from mobile operators and social media. The police have been notably secretive about this collaboration. Critics are worried about sensitive Swedish citizen data residing on American servers, with no transparency regarding its use, especially given Palantir's stated goals.

Palantir would be an effective tool for controlling people. The company is used precisely for this purpose.

— Iwan LangermoDescribing the perceived function of Palantir's software.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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