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Content type: News & Analysis
One of the UN's largest aid programmes just signed a deal with the CIA-backed data monolith Palantir
Last week, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) announced a partnership with Palantir, the controversial US-based data analytics company with deep links to US intelligence agencies. This is a deal that has serious consequences for the privacy and security of the 90-million-plus recipients of WFP aid each year. The reaction to the news that WFP and Palantir have entered into this partnership, amongst many in the data and development community was immediate, and visceral. After all, Palantir has a…
Content type: News & Analysis
3 June 2014
The following article written by Carly Nyst, Privacy International's Legal Director, originially appeared on the Future Tense blog on Slate:
The news that the CIA is no longer using vaccination programs as a front for spying operations may come as a relief to many humanitarian workers. Yet their fears should not be completely assuaged, because the CIA’s activities—which undoubtedly threatened the safety of humanitarian workers and those they seek to help—pale in…
Content type: News & Analysis
The development agenda is heralding a new cure-all for humanitarian and development challenges – data.
In the latest incarnation of the development world’s dominant paradigm, ICTs for Development, data is being embraced, analysed and monitored by companies, humanitarian organisations, aid donors and governments alike. Yet despite the promises of data evangelists that big and open data can revolutionise innovation, education, health care and infrastructure, the potential risks of…