Big-data analytics firm Palantir (PLTR  ), already marred by controversy well ahead of its direct listing, had a lackluster first day on the New York Stock Exchange marked by odd occurrences and poor initial performance.

Palantir's opening day got off to a promising start: initially trading at $10, Palantir traded up for much of the day, going as high as $11.42, before plummeting and ending the day at $9.47. October 1 brought similar results, starting strong with a brief rally that brought shares back to $10 before plunging once again and closing at $9.45.

Palantir's opening day was marred by difficulties in selling shares by employees, bringing further scrutiny to a company already laden with controversy and poor initial performance as a publicly traded firm. Speaking to CNBC in anonymity, former Palantir employees said they struggled to log into Shareworks, the digital trading platform operated by Morgan Stanley (MS  ). It was also mentioned that some current employees also struggled to access Shareworks.

Palantir has not issued any statements to members of the press. Morgan Stanley, however, sent a statement to CNBC that said, "We experienced slowness that may have resulted in delayed logins into our system. At all times our call centers were available to execute trades. We will work through any issue that is brought to our attention and ensure that no employee will be disadvantaged."

Palantir is no stranger to business news headlines, especially for negative news, given its controversial business practices and a business structure that isn't investor-friendly.

Palantir's primary customers are government agencies, which in and of itself is not a cause for suspicion. The company's dealings with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), however, has garnered a great deal of controversy. I.C.E., which has become a subject of intense scrutiny by the international community for its international law violations and willful denial of basic human rights to detainees, used Palantir products in its operations. Palantir's CEO has admitted that it helped ICE deport immigrants from the country.

Despite being publicly traded as of September 30, Palantir will see its founders retain almost 50% ownership of the company even if they sell their underlying shares. This means that shareholders will likely have little say in Palantir's goings, which may put off major investors, who will see the lack of a voice in the company's operation as a significant risk.