COMPLETE STATIC READING EDITION

Cambridge Analytica and the WikiLeaks plan

Two episodes where Palantir staff crossed lines, and what the company said

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The WikiLeaks proposal

A pitch to a bank, and an apology.

In February 2011 hacked emails from the security firm HBGary showed a proposal aimed at Bank of America to sabotage WikiLeaks, spread misinformation about it and pressure journalists who supported it, naming Glenn Greenwald. A Palantir engineer was involved. [1][2]

Palantir cut ties with HBGary and Karp apologized, including to Greenwald personally, “for any involvement that we may have had in these matters.” [1]

What we can’t tell you. The plan was not carried out as far as the records show.

The sources

  1. Forbes: Palantir apologizes for WikiLeaks attack proposal, cuts ties with HBGary, 11 February 2011 ↗

    Reproduces Karp’s statement and apology to Glenn Greenwald.

  2. Salon: new information on the anti-WikiLeaks plot, 14 February 2011 ↗

    Reporting from the leaked emails.

Cambridge Analytica

An employee’s side work.

In March 2018 Palantir told The Guardian: “We learned today that an employee, in 2013-2014, engaged in an entirely personal capacity with people associated with Cambridge Analytica.” The Guardian saw emails in which the employee discussed replicating a Cambridge academic’s personality-survey work. [1][2]

What we can’t tell you. The employee’s full role is known only from emails and Palantir’s statement.

The sources

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THIS FILE

The claims, rated.

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