Weeks of research into the product by Babel Street, based in Washington, D.C., reveal a surveillance system that deeply infringes on privacy – and has long since found its way into official circles in Germany. The platform “Babel X,” developed by Babel Street, allows for cross-platform real-time searches of social media content, profile analysis, reconstruction of movement patterns, and calculation of “threat scores” – all allegedly based on “open source data.” But what sounds public is often not accessible to the general public at all, rather it is extracted, recombined, and algorithmically assessed by authorities. This makes Babel X a highly controversial instrument in the modern OSINT landscape – precisely because its power comes with a lack of oversight.
In Baden‑Württemberg and Bavaria, Babel Street is, after further research, being evaluated as a so-called “Strategic Intelligence Tool.” Officially, there is no transparent information on the scope or nature of its use – Freedom of Information requests are routinely denied with reference to security interests. But the danger is real: the software can, for example, analyze political movements based on nicknames, emojis, or location data – such as the “No Kings” protests or migration policy groups. The user interface, as leaked screenshots show, allows filters by language, influence, emotion, or network affiliation. A leaked database overview lists Babel Street alongside platforms like Grindr, Uber, AOL, or eBay as clearly identifiable data sources – an indicator of which digital ecosystems such tools are embedded in.
Another leaked screenshot documents the purchase of Babel Street licenses by Washington, D.C. authorities for nearly 175,000 USD – apparently to ensure continued use despite growing concerns among social platforms. An internal email also shows that Babel Street, already in 2015, provided a list of persons to the local fusion center in the capital who were active during protests against police violence in both Ferguson and Baltimore – with explicit instruction not to include journalists or known persons. This method documents the targeted collection of civilian protest participation via automated linking of location and social media data.
How does Babel X work in detail? The tool combines automated speech recognition with semantic analysis to create target profiles from billions of social media posts in real time – even retrospectively if desired. It builds behavioral profiles, recognizes emotional tones, clustered themes, and can map digital networks using link analysis. Deleted content can even be reconstructed if captured through caching or partner services. The goal is not just monitoring but targeted filtering of individuals based on algorithmically assessed relevance. Using such tools without judicial approval allows a de facto loss of control over one’s data and expressions of opinion – especially affecting marginalized groups, activists, and political opponents. The ethical and legal dangers are obvious. Babel X algorithmically determines who counts as dangerous – without the knowledge of those affected, without legal recourse, without a judge’s order. The system not only allows identifying potential risks but can actively create them by placing people into risk categories based on political, linguistic, or ethnic markers.
The manufacturer, Babel Street, emphasizes its connections to U.S. agencies like the NSA or Homeland Security. A direct link to Peter Thiel is not proven – but ideological parallels to projects like Palantir are clear. Palantir – a company co-founded by Thiel and long funded by the CIA – develops similar analytical platforms for intelligence and border security agencies. The authoritarian claim to total data availability and algorithmic control of state repression is the binding element of both concepts. While German police apparently test Babel X, politicians remain silent. But the central question remains: who oversees the overseers – when even the surveillance is secret? The proximity of Babel technology to authoritarian surveillance regimes and right-wing populist strategies of the MAGA movement in the U.S. is unmistakable. Trump’s networks have relied on tools like Palantir in the past – and Babel Street fits seamlessly into this tradition: automated control under the guise of public safety. Those seeking protection can currently only rely on technical self-defense: anonymization, mindful use of location services, open-source search engines, encrypted communication, and avoiding interconnected U.S.-based platforms.
These findings do not shine a spotlight, they floodlight German security policy. What is introduced as a strategic tool could become a Trojan horse: the digital control infrastructure of an authoritarian security state – made in USA.
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