20200506 Palantir auch in Deutschland aktiv

06.05.2020 Palantir auch in Deutschland aktiv

Practice with Big-Data in Corona times

A month ago we reported that the CIA funded company Palantir was to assist in the tracking and transport of medical personnel and equipment in the UK. We did not have to look so far afield, because the Hessian state government also apparently has a close relationship with this company.

The company, which specialises in automated analysis of huge amounts of data, is currently offering its services worldwide as a helpful service provider. Hesse had already received the negative award "Big Brother Award" in the category "Authorities and Administration" for its cooperation with this company last year for the first purchase of analysis software from "Palantir" for the police. The laudator Rolf Gössner justified the awarding of the prize at the time by stating that "this controversial US company gains access to the data network of the Hessian police force through the use and operation of the software".

Now access to health data, too?

With the Palantir product "Foundry", the Federal State of Hessen wants to get an overview of the corona crisis. The JW reports that Member of the Bundestag Andrej Hunko (The Left Party) fears that "under the guise of infection protection" a system will be set up which "police and health authorities can gradually develop into a population scanner". The first step will be "Foundry", in which "generally accessible information, such as the distribution of coronavirus infections, bed capacities or the supply of protective equipment will be collected and presented in a comprehensive situation picture".