NUJ urges greater transparency over Palantir technologies partnership with police forces
A report by Liberty Investigates reveals trade union membership is among data processed by forces. The union has expressed its concern whilst stressing the need to protect confidential journalistic material.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed concern over the security of journalistic material following a report by Liberty Investigates, revealing a partnership between Palantir Technologies and police forces in the East of England.
Responding to a Freedom of Information request, documents from Bedfordshire police detail that Palantir’s pilot project ‘Nectar’ allows for multiple law enforcement databases to be brought together into a single platform to collate information on victims of crime, witnesses and suspects. Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire forces are working with Palantir on the project. Liberty Investigates reports a similar project led by Leicestershire Police, involving data from five forces across the East Midlands, is also underway.
Among personal information that can be processed as part of the data sharing platform is trade union membership. Kate Bell, TUC assistant general secretary, said “There is a long history of trade unionists being targeted simply for defending members’ interests. It is vital that any processing of trade union information by police forces and others is done in accordance with data protection law.”
The i reports that whilst no decision has been taken yet on whether Nectar will be rolled out nationally, a police memo states it will “require and be used to access” 11 different types of special category data including on race, health and religion.
The NUJ is urging transparency from the UK government and police forces over the deployment of Nectar.
Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said:
“We urge engagement with relevant stakeholders on the use of surveillance systems that could pose concerns for journalists and their confidential material. Trade union data is deemed as special category, and there must be compliance with legislation and transparency over how data is collated and used.
"Sensitive journalistic material granted through court orders must continue to be treated confidentially to ensure the safety of journalists and their sources.”