LittleSis* is a free database of who-knows-who at the heights of business and government.

* opposite of Big Brother
We're a grassroots watchdog network connecting the dots between the world's most powerful people and organizations.

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Map the power with Oligrapher

Oligrapher is a new tool for visualizing networks of influence using LIttlesis Data.


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A unique resource for investigating cronyism, conflicts of interest, and systemic corruption.

An involuntary facebook of the 1%

We bring transparency to influential social networks by tracking the key relationships of politicians, business leaders, lobbyists, financiers, and their affiliated institutions. We help answer questions such as:

  • Who do the wealthiest Americans donate their money to?
  • Where did White House officials work before they were appointed?
  • Which lobbyists are married to politicians? Who do they lobby for?

All of this information is public, but scattered. We bring it together in one place. Our data derives from government filings, news articles, and other reputable sources. Some data sets are updated automatically; the rest is filled in by our user community. More Features

Names behind the news

Who are the movers and shakers behind the bailouts, government contracts, and austerity policies? We’re working around the clock to stock LittleSis with information about bigwigs who make the news, and their connections to those who don’t. For updates and analysis visit our blog, Eyes on the Ties

Made for watchdogs

We're bringing together a community of watchdogs who believe in transparency and accountability where it matters most. We're looking for journalists, researchers, programmers, artists and organizers to lend a hand.

Think and do tank

LittleSis is a project of Public Accountability Initiative, a 501(c)3 organization focused on corporate and government accountability. We receive financial support from foundations and benefit from free software written by the open source community.

The code powering LittleSis is free & open source.

Data Summary

4,141,165 Citations
1,560,760 Relationships
266,447 People
105,354 Organizations
75,016 Business People
32,470 Businesses
18,601 Political Fundraising Committees
13,056 Academics
12,297 Lobbyists
10,225 Lawyers
9,357 Public Officials
9,105 Political Candidates
7,676 Private Companies
5,303 Elected Representatives
4,536 Government Bodies
4,323 Media Personalities
4,294 Other Not-for-Profits
4,011 Schools
3,154 Public Companies
2,151 Individual Campaign Committees
2,143 Philanthropies
1,802 Other Campaign Committees
1,596 Lobbying Firms
1,575 Membership Organizations
1,124 Law Firms
892 Industry/Trade Associations
619 Couples
533 Policy/Think Tanks
528 PACs
461 Consulting Firms
355 Public Intellectuals
346 Media Organizations
344 Cultural/Arts
301 Political Parties
274 Government-Sponsored Enterprises
263 Labor Unions
197 Professional Associations
151 Public Relations Firms
150 Social Clubs
124 Government Advisory Bodies
111 Academic Research Institutes
53 Elite Consensus Groups