Data Octopus is supposed to help in the fight against virus?

The civil rights organization Open Rights Group in Great Britain is not only concerned about the health of the people in the country but also about their private data. They tell us

In a disturbing turn in the fight against Covid-19, the NHS announced plans to work with Palantir, an American data mining company with a reputation for intrusive surveillance.

Tapped to help track and move medical staff and equipment around the UK, the CIA-funded company is known less for its public health expertise and more for its role in the US war on terror, predictive policing and immigration deportations.

To be clear, there's no indication that Palantir's current role will allow them access to NHS medical records. But you can be sure they are salivating over a trove of personal data that has become a sort of Holy Grail for "Big Data" companies. Given time, they might get access — and they will surely try.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and Palantir will no doubt play a valuable role in distributing critical medical equipment like ventilators. But the Government must be clear about the role it is giving and the limits it is placing on this secretive company known for surveillance and privacy abuses.

We'll be discussing Palantir and more in the second instalment of our weekly online discussion series about privacy and the Government's Covid-19 response. If you missed last week's session you can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMV0sG8p-EY

Not all news about use of data is bad. There are voluntary efforts to help people understand COVID-19 better, while letting people protecting privacy. Every week, we will aim to highlight best efforts, as well as address concerns with government and private sector initiatives.

We'll be joined this week by special guest Paul-Olivier Dehaye, founder of PersonalData.IO, a Swiss non-profit dedicated to helping people control their personal data. Paul-Olivier will discuss the role of responsible tech in the age of Covid-19. More speakers will be announced soon.

When: Friday 3 April 4:30pm GMT       Where: https://zoom.us/j/358114717

Jim Killock
Executive Director
Open Rights Group

Read more https://openrightsgroup.org/
and https://www.computing.co.uk/analysis/4013254/palantir-embedded-nhs

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