Skip to content

Actor relationship graph

Network

A public graph of the Wave 1 actor spine: role clusters, typed edges, evidence grades, source context, and routes back to the actor cards.

Public Relationship Network

Nodes and edges are rendered from the shared actor graph data. The graph adds no relationship facts beyond those records.

Role groups

Faces 6 Vendor 8 Funders 5 Intelligence-Adjacent 6 Coalition 6 Revolving Door 6 Opposition 7

Edge types

Access meeting Adjudicated Ancestor model Board member Chairs Co built Co founded Criticizes Data source for Executive lead Former board member Founded Funds Funds network Governs Historical member of Interlocks with Investment network signal Leads file Lobbies for Market created by Member of Ombudsman found Operated product Opposes Parliamentary engine Proposed by Public funding architecture Revolving door Seed investor Sells product Spinoff of Steering member Technical critique

Role-Grouped Nodes

Each node links to the corresponding roster card.

Role group

Faces

6 nodes

Recurring public figures for the Wave 1 narrative arc.

Person Ylva Johansson FACT Person Ursula von der Leyen FACT Person Roberta Metsola FACT Person Antonio Labrador Jimenez FACT Political group Manfred Weber / EPP group FACT Institution European Commission DG HOME FACT

Role group

Vendor

8 nodes

Organizations, founders, products, and ancestor institutions in the scanning-vendor stack.

Organization Thorn FACT Person Ashton Kutcher FACT Person Demi Moore FACT Product Safer FACT Product Spotlight FACT Product Acus FACT Organization NCMEC FACT Organization Heat Initiative FACT

Role group

Funders

5 nodes

Funding nodes and funding architectures, including records where money does not flow into Thorn.

Organization Oak Foundation FACT Network ECLAG funding network FACT Organization In-Q-Tel FACT Funding program EU security R&D programs FACT Funding program End Violence Fund / Safe Online FACT

Role group

Intelligence-Adjacent

6 nodes

Documented proximity to intelligence, defense, or national-security infrastructure without a proven directing hand.

Documented proximity; no proven direction, covert command, or US-government cash into Thorn.

Organization Palantir FACT Institution Swedish Police Authority FACT Institution Swedish Justice Ministry FACT Organization Digital Reasoning FACT Person Joe Lonsdale FACT Network Mark43 / David Petraeus FACT

Role group

Coalition

6 nodes

Campaign and alliance organizations in the child-safety policy circuit.

Organization WeProtect FACT Institution UK Home Office FACT Organization Brave Movement FACT Coalition ECLAG steering group FACT Organization Internet Watch Foundation FACT Organization Technology Coalition FACT

Role group

Revolving Door

6 nodes

Named personnel moves and board interlocks, with the Europol/FBI pattern kept to the evidence actually found.

Person Cathal Delaney FACT Person Fernando Ruiz Perez FACT Person John F. Bennett FACT Person Ernie Allen FACT Person Iain Drennan FACT Person Sarah Gardner FACT

Role group

Opposition

7 nodes

Civil-society and institutional accountability actors in the Wave 1 record.

Organization EDRi FACT Person Diego Naranjo FACT Person Patrick Breyer FACT Person Marketa Gregorova FACT Expert group Abelson et al. expert group FACT Institution European Ombudsman FACT Institution EDPS FACT

Relationship Edges

Each edge is shown once with direction, relationship type, evidence status, source receipts, and actor-card links.

Sells product

sells

Direction: Thorn -> Safer

FACT

Thorn sells Safer as program-service software revenue.

  • Technology & Partners Research file / Tier 1
  • Thorn FY2024 Form 990 Irs form 990
  • Thorn Form 990 Financial Analysis Research file

Operated product

operated historical tool

Direction: Thorn -> Spotlight

FACT

Thorn operated Spotlight until transitioning it to a new home in May 2024.

  • Technology & Partners Research file / Tier 1
  • Intelligence & VC Connections Research file / Tier 1

Lobbies for

lobbied CSA Regulation file

Direction: Thorn -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

Thorn registered and spent on EU lobbying during CSA Regulation negotiations.

  • EU Lobbying Spend & Funding Sources Research file / Tier 1
  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Governs

governance role

Direction: Antonio Labrador Jimenez -> WeProtect

FACT

WeProtect governance lists DG HOME via Labrador Jimenez, creating a documented policy-network overlap.

  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2
  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Parliamentary engine

political drive kept distinct

Direction: Manfred Weber / EPP group -> Roberta Metsola

FACT

The July 2026 urgency procedure is Metsola's procedural act, while the political drive is attributed to the EPP group under Weber.

  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Ombudsman found

maladministration and preferential treatment

Direction: European Ombudsman -> Thorn

FACT

The Ombudsman confirmed maladministration over withheld Thorn documents and flagged preferential treatment of Thorn's commercial interests.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Interlocks with

governance interlock

Direction: WeProtect -> Thorn

FACT

WeProtect governance includes Thorn CEO Julie Cordua, and Ernie Allen chairs WeProtect while serving on Thorn's board.

  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2
  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1

Founded

co-founder

Direction: Ashton Kutcher -> Thorn

FACT

Kutcher co-founded the DNA Foundation, which became Thorn.

  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1
  • EU Lobbying Spend & Funding Sources Research file / Tier 1

Founded

co-founder

Direction: Demi Moore -> Thorn

FACT

Moore co-founded the DNA Foundation, which became Thorn.

  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1
  • EU Lobbying Spend & Funding Sources Research file / Tier 1

Access meeting

documented high-level access

Direction: Ashton Kutcher -> Ursula von der Leyen

FACT

The public record includes a Nov 2020 video conference involving Kutcher, WeProtect, and von der Leyen.

  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Ancestor model

institutional ancestor

Direction: NCMEC -> Thorn

FACT

NCMEC and Ernie Allen are documented as the template institution and bridge for Thorn's tech-industry convening model.

  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1
  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1

Data source for

CyberTipline data and hashes

Direction: NCMEC -> Safer

FACT

Safer's hashes and classifier training data are sourced largely from NCMEC's CyberTipline corpus.

  • Technology & Partners Research file / Tier 1
  • Palantir Sovereignty Paradox Research file / Tier 1

Spinoff of

Thorn alumni spinoff

Direction: Heat Initiative -> Thorn

FACT

Heat Initiative was founded by Sarah Gardner after a decade at Thorn and by another ex-Thorn staffer.

  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1
  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1

Founded

founded after Thorn role

Direction: Sarah Gardner -> Heat Initiative

FACT

Gardner spent a decade at Thorn before founding and leading Heat Initiative.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1

Member of

member

Direction: Palantir -> WeProtect

FACT

Palantir remains listed as a WeProtect member as of the 2026-07-13 verification pass.

  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Historical member of

historical Task Force member

Direction: Palantir -> Thorn

FACT

Palantir's Thorn Technology Task Force membership is documented historically; current membership cannot be verified from open sources.

  • Intelligence & VC Connections Research file / Tier 1
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Operated product

Gotham instance named Acus

Direction: Palantir -> Acus

FACT

The Swedish Acus deployment is documented as the Swedish police instance of Palantir Gotham.

  • Palantir Acus in Sweden Research file / Tier 1

Operated product

uses Acus

Direction: Swedish Police Authority -> Acus

FACT

Dagens ETC revealed that the Swedish Police Authority had used Acus for about five years.

  • Palantir Acus in Sweden Research file / Tier 1

Interlocks with

embedded developers

Direction: Swedish Police Authority -> Palantir

FACT

The Acus record states that at least six Palantir developers worked at Swedish police headquarters under strict secrecy.

  • Palantir Acus in Sweden Research file / Tier 1

Adjudicated

procurement answer

Direction: Swedish Justice Ministry -> Swedish Police Authority

FACT

The Riksdag paper trail records the Justice Minister's line that the police authority decides its own IT procurement and data handling is governed by Swedish law.

  • Palantir Acus in Sweden Research file / Tier 1

Former board member

board member until Feb 2022

Direction: Joe Lonsdale -> Thorn

FACT

Lonsdale sat on Thorn's board from 2018 through February 2022 and is not a current board member.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Co founded

Palantir co-founder

Direction: Joe Lonsdale -> Palantir

FACT

The Lonsdale card carries intelligence-adjacent weight because he is a Palantir co-founder and former Thorn board member.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1

Co built

co-built

Direction: Digital Reasoning -> Spotlight

FACT

Digital Reasoning co-built Spotlight with Thorn; the tie is historical and should not be described as current.

  • Technology & Partners Research file / Tier 1
  • Intelligence & VC Connections Research file / Tier 1
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Seed investor

In-Q-Tel portfolio company

Direction: In-Q-Tel -> Digital Reasoning

FACT

In-Q-Tel invested in Digital Reasoning; this documents a supplier-lineage tie, not cash into Thorn.

  • Intelligence & VC Connections Research file / Tier 1
  • Technology & Partners Research file / Tier 1

Investment network signal

adjacent Mark43 signal

Direction: Ashton Kutcher -> Mark43 / David Petraeus

INFERENCE

The thesis scorecard treats Kutcher plus ex-CIA Petraeus in Mark43 as a structural-proximity signal, not proof of direction.

  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1

Funds

funds

Direction: Oak Foundation -> WeProtect

FACT

WeProtect's 2024 budget lists Oak Foundation as the top funder.

  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2

Funds network

funded member NGOs

Direction: Oak Foundation -> ECLAG funding network

FACT

Oak channelled $24M+ to member organizations building the campaign; ECLAG itself had no legal identity.

  • Alliance Funding Map Research file / Tier 2
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Funds

funded hosted survivor campaign

Direction: Oak Foundation -> Brave Movement

FACT

The funding map records the Brave Movement / Global Survivor Council as Oak-backed through Together for Girls.

  • Alliance Funding Map Research file / Tier 2
  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1

Funds

Safe Online grantee

Direction: End Violence Fund / Safe Online -> Thorn

FACT

The funding map records Safe Online grants to Thorn while keeping the record distinct from direct US-government cash.

  • Alliance Funding Map Research file / Tier 2

Public funding architecture

security funding architecture

Direction: EU security R&D programs -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

EU security R&D and operational funds are included as public funding architecture for the wider surveillance industry, not as Thorn funding.

  • EU Security Industry & EU Money Research file / Tier 2

Founded

origin institution

Direction: UK Home Office -> WeProtect

FACT

WePROTECT began as a UK Home Office initiative before merging into WeProtect Global Alliance.

  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2

Steering member

steering member

Direction: Thorn -> ECLAG steering group

FACT

Thorn is listed in the ECLAG six-member steering group.

  • Alliance Funding Map Research file / Tier 2

Ancestor model

convening model

Direction: Technology Coalition -> Thorn

FACT

The Technology Coalition is the direct model for Thorn's tech-industry convening and shared-hash-database role.

  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1
  • Alliance Funding Map Research file / Tier 2

Revolving door

Europol to Thorn staff move

Direction: Cathal Delaney -> Thorn

FACT

Delaney joined Thorn immediately after leaving Europol's EC3 CSAM team and is part of the Ombudsman revolving-door record.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Former board member

former Thorn board member

Direction: Fernando Ruiz Perez -> Thorn

FACT

Ruiz Perez's term on Thorn's board began in January 2023 and ended when he stepped down in January 2024.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Board member

retired FBI Assistant Director

Direction: John F. Bennett -> Thorn

FACT

Bennett joined Thorn's board in November 2024; the title is Assistant Director, not FBI chief or director.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • Debunked / Corrected Claims Ledger Ledger / Tier 1

Board member

Thorn board interlock

Direction: Ernie Allen -> Thorn

FACT

Allen sits on Thorn's board and links the Thorn lineage to NCMEC and WeProtect.

  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1
  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1

Chairs

chairs WeProtect

Direction: Ernie Allen -> WeProtect

FACT

WeProtect governance lists Allen as chair, creating a documented Thorn/NCMEC/WeProtect interlock.

  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2
  • Thorn Lineage, Ancestors & Siblings Research file / Tier 1

Executive lead

executive director

Direction: Iain Drennan -> WeProtect

FACT

Drennan has led WeProtect since its 2020 independent launch after UK Home Office and national-security roles.

  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1
  • WeProtect Global Alliance & the Wider Network Research file / Tier 2

Opposes

opposes

Direction: EDRi -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

EDRi coordinated opposition and criticized the emotional framing as lowering democratic scrutiny.

  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1
  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1

Criticizes

emotional-frame critique

Direction: Diego Naranjo -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

Naranjo's criticism is cited for the emotional-blackmail and democratic-scrutiny framing.

  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1
  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Opposes

opposes

Direction: Patrick Breyer -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

Breyer tracked and opposed the Chat Control file and publicized Ombudsman and procedure concerns.

  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1
  • Board, Executives & the Revolving Door Research file / Tier 1

Opposes

criticized urgency maneuver

Direction: Marketa Gregorova -> Manfred Weber / EPP group

FACT

Gregorova criticized the EPP group as abusing its position as the largest group in the July 2026 procedure.

  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Technical critique

client-side-scanning critique

Direction: Abelson et al. expert group -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

The expert group documents why client-side scanning creates technical and civil-liberties risks.

  • Technical & Legal Case Against Client-Side Scanning Research file / Tier 1
  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1

Adjudicated

illegal microtargeting finding

Direction: EDPS -> European Commission DG HOME

FACT

The EDPS found the Commission's political microtargeting campaign illegal in Dec 2024.

  • Chat Control: The Political Map Research file / Tier 1

Market created by

market fit

Direction: Safer -> European Commission DG HOME

INFERENCE

A scanning mandate would create or expand demand for scanning products like Safer; this is the dossier's analytical commercial-capture inference.

  • Scope & Thesis Research file / Tier 1
  • EU Lobbying Spend & Funding Sources Research file / Tier 1