The Anti-Palantir Manifesto: Code as the Only Defense Against Technofascism
I argue that programmers must reject building surveillance tools for corporations like Palantir and states, as these systems enable technofascism and mass control. Instead of relying on useless regulations, we must build decentralized software and hardware to enforce privacy and protect freedom. The state is a dying institution, and true power now lies in code that allows individuals to live freely and organize against authoritarian oppression.
Meek calls for regulation or moralizing demands for human rights are useless in this era; any rights must be enforced by the hard power of code.
- heyts
Looks like a dupe of https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48747772
- adrian_b
Any manifesto of this kind unavoidably contains many naive parts.
The reason is that it is always easy to notice what is bad around you, but it is very difficult to conceive what should be done about it.
The paragraphs of the manifesto about how serious the problem of mass surveillance and unaccountability of private companies has become, are undeniably correct.
Which is the solution for a better future is much less obvious.
- gremlinunderway
What about this is unique to Palantir at all? As far as I'm aware, there are many, many more companies deeply embedded with the US intelligence community and law enforcement and Palantir isn't all that special here. Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, etc. all have massive contracts directly supporting the same thing. I don't understand what makes Palantir special here.