A US spyware firm has ruled out helping the UK Government implement digital ID over concerns the legislation is “undemocratic”.
Palantir Technologies, a software company which has previously been linked to the IDF, said it would not be participating in the roll-out and warned it was a “programme that needs to be decided at the ballot box”, according to reports from The Times.
Due to its contracts with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and its specialism in data management, as well as £1.5 billion in UK investments announced last month, Palantir was thought to be a possible bidder as digital IDs are set to become mandatory.
The firm’s UK boss Louis Mosley said, however, that Palantir would not bid for contracts and criticised the UK Government’s decision to implement the IDs.
Speaking to Times Radio, Mosley said the firm had “a policy that we will help democratically elected governments implement the policies they have been elected to deliver”, but added that since digital IDs were not on the Labour Party’s manifesto for the 2024 general election and therefore hasn’t seen “a clear resounding public support at the ballot box”, it “isn’t one for” Palantir.
Mosley went on to say that he had “personal concerns” over the scheme and the potential abuses it could face, as well as the “technical necessity” for its implementation.
“We have all had the experience of engaging with parts of government where the online experience leaves something to be desired. It needs improvement”, he added.
The Palantir boss went on to highlight the number of unique ID forms most UK citizens already possess – including passports, driving licenses, tax codes and National Insurance numbers – and how there was “no way” for the Government to move between each form.
“I think there are ways to improve that, that wouldn’t require a wholesale new form of ID and I think it does open up the risk of misuse as well”, Mosley said.
Concerns have been raised over the potential for data breaches when digital IDs come into force and he added that with more digital systems comes a greater “surface area of risk”.
Mosley's comments come after more than two million people signed a petition urging the Government not to make the IDs mandatory.
