Palo Alto, CA Geeks Track Down Terrorist Cells
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A group of geeks from Palo Alto, California are on the attack against the spy trade and have developed new software to track down terrorists. The software known as Palantir Technologies has been shown to be an effective tool against those who would plan attacks against us and others. The software uses a unique search tool to track down the bad guys and locate connections among suspects, as well as money transfers, phone calls and previous attacks around the world.
According to a recent article from the Wall Street Journal it also states that:
Technology like Palantir’s is increasingly important to spies confronting an information explosion, where terrorists can hide communications in vast data streams on the Internet. Intelligence agencies are struggling to identify and monitor such information — and quickly send relevant data to the analysts who need it. U.S. officials say the software is also crucial as the country steps up its offensive in difficult theaters like Afghanistan. There, Palantir’s software is now being used to analyze constantly shifting tribal dynamics and distinguish potential allies from enemies, according to current and former counterterrorism officials familiar with the work.
“It’s a new way of war fighting,” says former Assistant Secretary of Defense Mary Beth Long. While there are many good systems, Ms. Long says, with Palantir’s software “you can actually point to examples where it was pretty clear that lives were saved.”
This is great news and hopefully the software will continue to help our fight against the terrorists of the world.
Comments welcome.
3 Comments
Eric Ivers
September 5th, 2009
at 9:48am
I work for a sister company to Palantir. We make very small unmanned ground vehicles (robots) for military and first responder use. Both companies will be extremely valuable in our struggle against unconventional warfare. It’s also an absolute hoot working there.
Bruce
September 5th, 2009
at 12:00pm
It is great news, but why do we have to know about it? Now our enemies know it’s out there and will be doing all they can to circumvent it, I would think. Why is there such a need to inform the public of all the tools the government has to counteract the enemy? Whatever happen to “Loose lips sink ships” which was the mantra of World War II? I dunno, I guess I’m just too old fashion and need to chill out.
Mashlash
September 6th, 2009
at 7:37am
This is horrible news, and only a bunch of paranoid slash brainwashed north americans would celebrate it.
You’re thinking surveillence of all your inhabitants, and “automated detection” of who is the “bad guys” is a good thing? You might as well have a robot shoot muslims with a beard at each airport.
And who are these “bad guys”, even if you do get any of the right ones? The inhabitants of the countries USA keeps bombing? Fighting in their own countries for their own independence? They have due reason to be pissed, maybe you should do something about that.
For more than 90% of the worlds population, what have been mentioned here ARE terrorist tools. They will clamp down the heavy hand of censorship and paranoia on your own population, and they will make USA less popular, and thus less safe in the world.
I thought this was a sarcastic note at first, but you guys seem to be serious… Jeez…
But I guess it’s all good. Rid the Vaterland, umm… Homeland, umm… I mean The Land Of The Free (TM) of the jewish, umm… I mean communist, umm… I mean arab threat.
And I wonder, have the geek-bots singeled me out as a “bad guy” yet, for writing this post? Thank god I live in Norway…