What is Palantir and why is it controversial?
Palantir is a US-based tech company that specializes in data analysis and software engineering. It was co-founded by Peter Thiel, a billionaire entrepreneur and investor who supported Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign. Palantir has been involved in several controversial projects, such as providing technology to the US immigration enforcement agency (ICE) to track and deport migrants and asylum seekers, and to governments that spy on their citizens. Palantir has also been criticized for its views on the NHS, as Thiel reportedly said that the NHS makes people sick and should be privatized.
How did Palantir get a contract with the NHS?
Palantir was initially hired by the NHS in March 2020 to help with the Covid-19 response, by creating a data platform that would collect and analyze health data from various sources. The contract was worth £1 and was supposed to last for four months. However, the contract was extended several times, and in November 2023, NHS England announced that Palantir and four other partners had won a £330 million contract to create a new NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) for the next five years. The FDP is supposed to make it easier for health and care organizations to work together and provide better services to patients, by allowing them to share data in a secure and controlled way.
What are the concerns and criticisms of the deal?
The deal has sparked outrage and protests from various groups, such as MPs, tech experts, medical professionals, civil liberties activists, and patients. They have raised concerns about the security and privacy of patient data, the suitability and accountability of Palantir, the transparency and legality of the procurement process, and the potential impact on the NHS’s values and future. Some of the main criticisms are:
- Palantir has a history of working with unethical and oppressive regimes, and could misuse or mishandle patient data for its own interests or for those of its clients.
- Palantir’s software is proprietary and complex, and could create a dependency and lock-in effect for the NHS, making it harder to switch to other providers or to control its own data.
- Palantir’s involvement could undermine the public trust and confidence in the NHS, and could pave the way for further privatization and commercialization of the health service.
- Palantir’s contract was awarded without proper consultation, scrutiny, or competition, and could violate the data protection and human rights laws.
How have the protesters and campaigners reacted?
On Tuesday, December 21, 2023, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Palantir’s London office, blocking the entrance and chanting slogans such as “NHS not for sale” and “Palantir out of our NHS”. They also held banners and placards with messages such as “Palantir: data vultures” and “Palantir: NHS data thieves”. The protest was organized by a coalition of groups, including Doctors for Assange, Open Democracy, Privacy International, and the Good Law Project. The protesters demanded that Palantir’s contract be cancelled and that the NHS data be protected from private interests.
The Good Law Project, a legal campaign group, has also launched a legal challenge against the NHS England’s decision to award the contract to Palantir, claiming that it was unlawful and lacked transparency. The group has crowdfunded over £100,000 to support its case, and has filed a judicial review application in the High Court. The group hopes to stop the contract from going ahead, and to expose the details and implications of the deal.
How have Palantir and the NHS responded?
Palantir has rejected the concerns and criticisms of its role in the NHS data platform, and has defended its technology and reputation. Louis Mosley, Palantir’s executive vice-president for the UK and Europe, said that the software enables NHS professionals to bring together data that a hospital already holds in multiple different systems, while ensuring that staff only see information if they need to, in order to do their job. He also said that Palantir does not own, access, or sell any NHS data, and that it is committed to supporting the NHS’s mission and values.
NHS England has also dismissed the allegations and protests against Palantir, and has praised the company’s contribution to the Covid-19 response and the FDP. It said that Palantir’s software has helped the NHS to save lives, improve care, and reduce costs, by providing insights and intelligence on the pandemic and the health system. It also said that no company involved in the FDP can access health and care data without the explicit permission of the NHS, and that the data is stored securely and encrypted. It said that the contract was awarded in a fair and competitive way, and that it complies with the legal and ethical standards.
