Sources indicated to The Post that the removal of an article profiling three female executives at Palantir shortly after its publication was linked to the company’s dealings with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The piece, titled “Inside Palantir’s AI Braintrust: Meet the women transforming retail, government and defense,” was developed over the course of more than a month and was published online last Thursday. It highlighted the contributions of Anita Beveridge, Lauren Penneys, and Shannon Clark within the company.
Despite its initial release, the article was swiftly taken down, which is rather uncommon for a publisher. When Palantir inquired about the rationale for this removal, they were told that “additional context” was required.
Forbes expressed that it needed to add commentary regarding Palantir’s partnership with ICE, and later informed Palantir that the initial portrayal was “too positive” and the article would not be republished.
This raises questions. One insider from Palantir pointed out, “What does it say when stories about women in leadership positions need to be intertwined with political controversies to be considered complete?”
After some time, the article reappeared on the site, this time including more details about the company’s connections with ICE.
The revised introduction now reflects that Palantir has been in the news not only for its technological advancements but also for controversies surrounding its contracts with immigration authorities, amidst concerns regarding surveillance and human rights.
A spokesperson for Forbes clarified that the article was retracted for further editing with additional sources and context included. They also mentioned that Forbes has consistently featured Palantir in its coverage, including a notable appearance by CEO Alex Karp on the magazine’s cover in 2013.
Simultaneously, protests have erupted against ICE’s operations, where the agency utilizes Palantir’s technology to facilitate tracking of migrants.
Recently, Palantir secured a $30 million contract to develop an AI-driven surveillance platform known as ImmigrationOS, designed to enhance the prioritization of deportations and monitor immigration enforcement in real-time.
The firm has made it clear: they don’t own or sell personal data, but rather provide software to help businesses manage and utilize their existing data.
