ReadWriteWeb

Part of the appeal of Facebook to the media, no doubt, comes from the fact that much of its use remains shrouded in secrets. It is difficult to get a good grasp on what's really happening within the walls of the popular social network. There are data points on its current valuation, the number of applications on the platform, and the number of users. But there's rarely a clear indication of what's happening at the user level - beyond the now platitudinous "throwing sheep" assessment.

That's what makes something like Project Palantir so interesting. Because we get a brief glimpse into how Facebook is really being used.