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

4,166,457 Citations
1,576,286 Relationships
270,427 People
109,178 Organizations
76,214 Business People
32,687 Businesses
18,658 Political Fundraising Committees
13,125 Academics
12,308 Lobbyists
10,318 Lawyers
9,512 Public Officials
9,128 Political Candidates
7,720 Private Companies
5,346 Elected Representatives
4,623 Government Bodies
4,379 Other Not-for-Profits
4,351 Media Personalities
4,039 Schools
3,156 Public Companies
2,385 Philanthropies
2,152 Individual Campaign Committees
1,807 Other Campaign Committees
1,615 Lobbying Firms
1,589 Membership Organizations
1,131 Law Firms
911 Industry/Trade Associations
619 Couples
539 Policy/Think Tanks
536 PACs
494 Consulting Firms
373 Public Intellectuals
366 Media Organizations
346 Cultural/Arts
307 Political Parties
284 Government-Sponsored Enterprises
265 Labor Unions
201 Professional Associations
163 Public Relations Firms
150 Social Clubs
133 Government Advisory Bodies
114 Academic Research Institutes
53 Elite Consensus Groups