The central German state of Hesse has become embroiled in a row over its decision to use software from American company Palantir to track the spread of coronavirus.
Hesse is planning to use Palantir’s “Foundry” software to track the distribution of infection as well as bed capacity in hospitals and stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Palantir is a controversial company. It develops surveillance and intelligence software, and its main clients are US military and intelligence agencies. The company was founded with a grant from the CIA’s investment arm. Chairman and co-founder Peter Thiel is an outspoken conservative and Trump supporter.
The decision by the Hessian Interior Ministry to adopt Palantir’s Foundry software has been denounced by Bundestag MPs from both the Green and The Left parties.
Foundry is data mining software that can merge data from multiple sources and create insights and associations through analysing diverse datasets.
A spokesman from the Hesse Interior Ministry told German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung that the state needed real-time information on the spread of the virus, as well as hospitals’ ability to manage it.
The state is planning to use the system for capacity planning, resource allocation, scenario planning, and exit from lockdown strategies.
Hesse is insisting that the software will not be accessing personal data, and that the company will have no access to state healthcare data.
Bundestag MP Andrej Hunko, who sits as a Left Party representative for Aachen, told Süddeutsche Zeitung that German authorities should not work with companies so closely associated with intelligence agencies. Hunko warned that controlling coronavirus could become a cover for installing population surveillance systems that could be used by the police as well as health officials.
The police force of Frankfurt, which is part of Hesse, became the first in Germany to use software from the company. They are using the company’s Gotham system, which provides telephone and internet surveillance, and integration of public agency data for police intelligence.
Further reading:
Hesse is planning to use Palantir’s “Foundry” software to track the distribution of infection as well as bed capacity in hospitals and stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Palantir is a controversial company. It develops surveillance and intelligence software, and its main clients are US military and intelligence agencies. The company was founded with a grant from the CIA’s investment arm. Chairman and co-founder Peter Thiel is an outspoken conservative and Trump supporter.
The decision by the Hessian Interior Ministry to adopt Palantir’s Foundry software has been denounced by Bundestag MPs from both the Green and The Left parties.
Foundry is data mining software that can merge data from multiple sources and create insights and associations through analysing diverse datasets.
A spokesman from the Hesse Interior Ministry told German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung that the state needed real-time information on the spread of the virus, as well as hospitals’ ability to manage it.
The state is planning to use the system for capacity planning, resource allocation, scenario planning, and exit from lockdown strategies.
Hesse is insisting that the software will not be accessing personal data, and that the company will have no access to state healthcare data.
Bundestag MP Andrej Hunko, who sits as a Left Party representative for Aachen, told Süddeutsche Zeitung that German authorities should not work with companies so closely associated with intelligence agencies. Hunko warned that controlling coronavirus could become a cover for installing population surveillance systems that could be used by the police as well as health officials.
The police force of Frankfurt, which is part of Hesse, became the first in Germany to use software from the company. They are using the company’s Gotham system, which provides telephone and internet surveillance, and integration of public agency data for police intelligence.
Further reading:
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