The U.K. government is considering using Palantir’s Foundry software to manage sensitive contact-tracing data, according to the Financial Times. The move comes after the U.K failed to report 15,841 positive coronavirus cases after an Excel spreadsheet containing the contact-tracing data reached the maximum size and failed to update automatically.
- Palantir’s software has become popular as it is used by government surveillance agencies for spying purposes.
- Contact tracing apps alert users when they are in close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus.
- Governments have been using contact-tracing apps with varying levels of success, and the U.K. app failed to record potential exposures because a wrong threshold had reportedly been set and “false alarms” sent to people.
Palantir Technologies Inc. stock is gaining. PLTR: NYSE is up on premarket 2.69%
