Why Tolkien Would Rename Palantir Technologies to Orthanc Inc

Author Brett Scott argues that Palantir Technologies should be renamed Orthanc Inc., drawing a direct parallel between the data-mining firm and the dark tower of the wizard Saruman in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." Scott contends that the company's surveillance and data-control operations mirror Orthanc's role as a center of industrial espionage and authoritarian control, rather than the more neutral "seeing stone" of the Palantír. The critique suggests that the name change would more accurately reflect the company's real-world impact on privacy and power.

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