Palantir, a secretive startup funded in part by the CIA’s investment arm In-Q-Tel, had a booth at Google’s “Geek Street” fair in New York City’s Union Square today.
Google’s Geek Street event is aimed at kids interested in technology. “The event, hosted by Google,” writes the New York Daily News, “Is designed to get youngsters excited about science, technology, engineering and maths — known as STEM. It brings together technology companies, community-based organisations, museums and content creators.”
Facebook, Google, Samsung and Pinterest also had booths at the event, but those booths certainly didn’t feel as weird as Palantir’s presence. That’s because Palantir collects massive amounts of data, including in New York City, and also sells its data analysis services to companies like Bank of America, BP, Morgan Stanley, Walmart and Northrop Grumman. The company is currently valued at $US20 billion ($26.3 billion). It was co-founded by Peter Thiel, Facebook board member and Donald Trump delegate.
Palantir’s quizzes
Palantir employees at the booth were giving quizzes to kids about some basic computer science concepts, and giving away sweet Palantir-branded merchandise like sunglasses and pens. I’m sure they had good intentions, but seeing a bunch of primary school children crowded around a Palantir booth, in their Palantir-branded shades, felt like a scene from the beginning of some dystopian movie.
We reached out to Palantir but had not heard back at time of writing.