Our #NoTechForU campaign highlighted information about violent tech being used for policing, migration, the state, and the university. Your engagement with the campaign helped hold our institutions and representatives accountable.
Today, we’re announcing our next steps: we’re focusing our efforts on illuminating the secrets of a company doing immense harm at the intersection of policing, migration, the state, and the university: Palantir. The timing couldn’t be more urgent. Palantir’s trying to get cozy with our NHS, the company is hoping to go public soon, and pressure to hold Palantir accountable is building in both the UK and US.
The NHS deal has come under fire by legal professionals, journalists, human rights organisations and virologists. In addition to the NHS, Palantir reportedly also holds opaque contracts with the Cabinet Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defense, and dozens of Police Departments. Given Palantir’s track record, this puts our communities at risk.
In the US, where Palantir secured an analogous health data contract with the Department of Health and Human Services, Congress is moving to hold the company accountable. Both the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Senator Warren have submitted letters expressing concern and demanding transparency. Palantir may try to run to the UK and elsewhere, but we’re going to #SendPalantirPacking.
The pressure is on. Now is the time to show Peter Thiel and Alex Karp that we don’t want immigrant deaths on our hands—and we don’t want racist surveillance, period. Let’s show governments, universities, and potential investors that partnering with Palantir isn’t worth it. And maybe we can get the message out to Palantir, on the eve of their IPO, that their contract with US Immigration Customs Enforcement contract isn’t worth it, either.
Ready to make this happen? Here’s 3 steps you can take:
Sign. Speak. #SendPalantirPacking.
- Sign the petition asking Parliament to review the NHS data store contracts and publish human rights and data protection impact assessments. If we can reach 10,000 signatures, the government will have to respond to the petition. At 100,000, it’ll be considered for debate.
- Speak up to your MP! Use this tool to let them know you don’t want Palantir in charge of your data. We want to send a strong & clear message that we aren’t going to let the UK be the place Palantir can run to after being shamed in the US.
- Send us a message if Palantir is recruiting or funding things at your uni. The more we know about their reach, the better we can work on taking higher education out of their hands.
When you do any of these, let us know! Every post helps spread the word. Tweet @NoTech4Tyrants or #SendPalantirPacking (or send us a note and we can post something without your name). Don’t forget to share the campaign with your friends and colleagues using bit.ly/SignSpeakSend.
