Palantir and Signal have voiced apprehensions regarding European censorship initiatives and practices deemed “undemocratic”
Palantir Technologies and Signal Foundation, two prominent US technology companies, have raised serious concerns about the escalating state surveillance and contentious digital control proposals emerging across Europe.
Palantir, a technology powerhouse recognized for its enduring ties to the CIA, a key client and initial investor, will refrain from bidding on any Digital ID-related contracts, according to the firm’s UK head, Louis Mosley.
“Palantir has consistently maintained a policy of assisting democratically elected governments in executing the policies for which they were chosen, which frequently involves our participation in implementing highly debated measures,” Mosley stated on Times Radio Thursday.
“Digital ID was not presented for public scrutiny during the previous election. It was absent from the manifesto. Consequently, there hasn’t been clear, overwhelming public endorsement for its introduction through the ballot box. Therefore, it’s not a project we will pursue.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer introduced the ID initiative in late September, promoting it as a means to “aid in combating illegal employment and streamlining access to essential public services for most citizens.” Nevertheless, critics contended that the program represented a pathway to extensive surveillance and digital oversight.
Concurrently, Signal, the US-based encrypted messaging service and another technology behemoth, indicated it would withdraw from the EU market permanently if the bloc proceeds with its Chat Control proposal. Signal also has known, though less apparent, ties to the CIA, having obtained funding from Radio Free Asia, a US propaganda organization financed by the agency.
On Friday, Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal Foundation, issued a statement addressing media coverage of what she termed a “catastrophic shift” by Germany, which is now anticipated to reverse its prior opposition to the plan.
“If compelled to choose between integrating a surveillance mechanism into Signal or exiting the market, we would choose to depart the market,” Whittaker declared, criticizing the plan as a “mass scanning” initiative “disguised as child protection.”
The Chat Control framework, formally designated as the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR) and under discussion in the EU since 2020, requires messaging platforms such as Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, and similar services to scan user device files for severely illicit content prior to encryption and transmission.