Why you're wrong about Palantir, and TL;DR Tolkien
Top Comment
BBC
4.0 • 545 Ratings
🗓️ 22 May 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The US tech giant Palantir holds contracts with some of the most influential entities in the world, from government departments and pharmaceutical companies to military contractors and banking powerhouses. Funding links to the CIA, misconceptions about how it operates, and broader concerns surrounding the use of private data, have all led to a significant protest movement online at the firm's increasing integration into major institutions. On this episode, Matt and Marianna consider why a narrative framing Palantir as a malevolent force is flourishing on social media, and ask whether this stealthy reputation actually suits its business model.
Also this week, after a former Meta AI researcher told the BBC that smart glasses are "an invasion of privacy", is being filmed covertly for content a new reality of everyday life?
Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was James Piper. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.0 | The 8th of August, 1963, a gang of thieves hold up a British Royal Mail train on its way from Glasgow to London. |
| 0:16.0 | More than two million pounds was stolen, and Ronnie Biggs was the most famous face of the great train robbery. |
| 0:22.8 | Daniel Mays reveals the true story of Ronnie Biggs. |
| 0:26.4 | A train robbery, a prison escape and 36 years on the run. |
| 0:30.6 | Gangster Presents the story of Ronnie Biggs. |
| 0:33.9 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:37.1 | You can start with you. |
| 0:38.6 | Obviously you're keen to. |
| 0:42.8 | Okay, this week on top comment, we're going to be talking about Palantir, |
| 0:47.0 | particularly some of the narrative surrounding it on social media |
| 0:50.1 | and what we actually know about this company, |
| 0:52.6 | which I feel like everybody is talking about |
| 0:54.3 | at the moment. |
| 0:55.2 | Everyone's talking about Palantir on social media, including, by the way, Taylor Lorenz. |
| 0:59.3 | And if you haven't heard our bonus episode, we interview the journalist Taylor Lorenz. |
| 1:02.8 | And it was interesting to get a different perspective on social media. |
| 1:07.0 | Her argument is kind of social media is largely a good thing and that the regulation could harm the benefits it gives society, especially kind of minorities who use it as a place to gather. |
| 1:18.7 | So very interesting to hear someone who may share a different perspective to what you're used to. |
| 1:23.6 | We're also going to be talking about meta glasses and the ways that they can be abused and misused, as well as the good parts of them as well. |
| 1:36.6 | So, you will have heard lots of discourse online about Palantir by now. So Palantir, one of the |
| 1:41.6 | most evil companies in the world, is starting a PR campaign to get good publicity. How would you feel if Palantir, one of the most evil companies in the world, is starting a PR campaign to get good |
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