March 29, 2026
Big Data, Bigger Drama
Say No to Palantir in Europe
Petitions roasted, regulators flex, and calls to build a homegrown rival
TLDR: A petition urges EU governments to halt Palantir deals and investigate its use of public data. The crowd splits: cynics dismiss petitions, others want Brussels to regulate the company out, and a loud camp says build a trustworthy European rival—because who controls public data is the real power.
A fiery petition urges Europe to stop signing contracts with Palantir, review existing deals, and back transparent, accountable European alternatives—with critics citing the firm’s work with U.S. immigration and conflicts abroad. Supporters point to reports of Palantir’s growing footprint in health and policing across the EU, from Privacy International to Euractiv. But the comments section? That’s where the fireworks start.
The top mood is pure cynic energy: “Petitions accomplish nothing,” snaps gzread, turning the whole campaign into a meme about shouting into the void. Regulators-as-superheroes is the counter-punch—linhns insists “Europe can regulate anything out”, casting the EU as the boss who can snap its fingers and make spy-tech vanish. Then comes sarcasm from 0x3f mocking the petition’s framing—“Ah yes, European issues”—as the thread squabbles over whether U.S. and Middle East politics belong in a Europe debate.
Meanwhile, mcosta drops the pragmatic hot take: “Europe needs its own Palantir” (misspelled “Palatir”), which instantly becomes a running gag for a homegrown alternative. And mrlonglong claims the UK will end Palantir contracts at renewal, prompting calls for receipts. Bottom line: bold petition, bigger brawl—oversight vs. realpolitik, boycott vs. build-your-own, outrage vs. “show me the contract.”
Key Points
- •WeMove Europe launched a petition urging EU and European governments to stop signing new contracts with Palantir and to review and phase out existing ones.
- •The petition calls for EU-led investigations into Palantir’s use, full transparency on contracts and data usage, and a pause on new deals until safeguards and democratic oversight exist.
- •It claims Palantir is expanding across Europe, citing use by German police and access to large UK healthcare datasets, with France also mentioned.
- •The petition links to external sources alleging Palantir’s involvement in controversial activities abroad and quotes CEO Alex Karp on the company’s aims.
- •The campaign seeks to mobilize public pressure to expose Palantir’s role in Europe and protect public systems and data from private surveillance firms.