Post #2430853

2026-01-02 15:50 UTC

@diemkay@hachyderm.io First of all: thank you so much for this thread and your support. It means a lot to us. Specially since - as you said - the LinkedIn Drama is viewed algorithm-based just by a few people (his bubble and my bubble). I just want to share all those credits with the WAV Kollektiv (Balz Oertli, Jennifer Steiner, Lorenz Naegeli), who were together with Marguerite Meyer my colleagues for this investigation and were working persistently on the FOIA requests processes including mediation meetings with representatives of authorities. Yes this surrealistic comment battle happened all in our christmas holidays. I connected with Bowman on LinkedIn and saw then where he posted this ridiculous blogpost in the comments sections everywhere. To be honest: I was more amused about Bowman's helpless attempt to discredit us. Basically it's speaking for itself. He has no arguments, he just doesn't like the adjectives. And the decision-makers and people working for the public sector hopefully will get the right message by reading this. But you are right as well: This is not and should not be normal. This is a massive attack against our (very well documented) investigation and our journalistic integrity. And with you're boosting other people finally woke up now (who are not part of my Linkedin bubble) and replying to Bowman as well. (I guess the lack of defence for us was also due to the holidays time, or no one want to mess up with those guys, I have no idea...). One remark additionally: The drama might no stay on LinkedIn, there might be a next chapter. But I am not yet supposed to talk about it. I will let you know. All I can say: we must have made them very nervous, since lawmakers in Germany and UK are questioning the contracts. It is possible that authorities are hesitating to sign new contracts. So we have triggered something that they are starting this PR campaign against us (I don't remember another media company being mentioned on their blog). I am not 100 % sure Switzerland will keep saying NO, there are massive lobbying efforts and influence operation going on here as well. And it is actually the exception (saying NO to a US company) not the rule: looking at F35 jets, Microsoft Cloud and other US Technology Cloud saving and processing lots and lots of of sensitive military data and personal data of citizens of Switzerland. We will continue our reporting on #Palantir. Thank you again for making this attack visible to a larger community on Mastodon.

Replies (6)

@bikejourno@ciclista.social 2026-01-02 17:50

@adfichter@infosec.exchange @diemkay@hachyderm.io As a journalist I took the freedom to repost Adrienne's LinkedIn post, adding some of my thoughts. Curios how many views this will get as I certainly did not mince my words regarding Peter Thiel and his attitude towards democracy and the rule of law. Apart from him being an utter nut-case who is obsessed with Satan for some wacky reason. Peter Thiel is bad news. He's the face and a key sponsor of #techbroligarchy - and that has zero legitimacy. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/laurens-van-rooijen-65559420_why-palantir-is-becoming-a-risky-bet-for-activity-7412906753086054400-bzNe?

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@diemkay@hachyderm.io 2026-01-02 19:03

@adfichter@infosec.exchange I had no idea this would spread the way it did, but I’m glad it helped generate interest. Extending my gratitude to the entire team behind you. I found your post through a contact of a friend and the treatment I saw really made my blood boil as it’s such a common tactic. The fact that it was over Christmas made it worse! I really hoped to make your work visible and generate awareness for a wider audience, to point a finger at something that many people wouldn’t see. I’m not adding any value beyond that, the credit is all to you. As I said, the work speaks for itself. The right people do care. All this flurry of activity today gave me hope. You have a new follower at least in me, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter. I don’t like these people and their slimy tactics and want to see this dirty laundry aired. Thanks again to you and everyone involved!

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@ClaireFromClare@h-net.social 2026-01-02 19:07

@adfichter@infosec.exchange I'd like to follow your posts here, but could you please use the language flags so that I & others can filter? On the main issues, thank you! Also to @diemkay@hachyderm.io for highlighting

Open ##2430856
@hko@floss.social 2026-01-02 19:11

@adfichter@infosec.exchange Thank you (and all of your colleagues) for this work! Establishing and explaining the facts about these dry matters is indispensable for a healthy society-level discourse. But also surely hard, and mostly thankless, work.

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@Obscure_Rebel@mastodon.social 2026-01-03 10:51

@adfichter@infosec.exchange @diemkay@hachyderm.io … and the very large elephant in the ongoing #Palantir saga room is #Thiel’s war-profiteering support for #Israel & its #genocide in #Gaza! “- Much of Palantir’s work uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for surveillance, weapons and warfare for the West and its allies. - Palantir has an office in Israel and has officially partnered with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to support the ongoing war on Gaza through the use of its technology” https://corporatewatch.org/palantir-international-tech-despot/

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@adipoeserPursch@troet.cafe 2026-01-04 09:27

@adfichter@infosec.exchange @j_j@muenchen.social @diemkay@hachyderm.io Keep up the good work, thanks! 💪🏾🍀👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Open ##2430863