Some customers are throwing their Oura smart rings for scrap as concerns grow over the company’s military partnerships. The trend, which has spread across social networks like TikTok, Instagram and Reddit, stems from an August 2025 press release in which the smart clothing maker touted its deep relationship with the U.S. military, citing a future factory in Fort Worth, Texas, and its deployment of programs created by controversial big data broker Palantir Technologies. The Finnish company’s connection to Palantir, whose technology is linked to the Trump administration’s controversial surveillance and mass deportation efforts, has sparked outrage and privacy concerns.
Oura has unequivocally denied selling its users’ data. According to a video released by the company, its partnership with Palantir is completely separate from its consumer-facing business. Instead, Oura’s enterprise platform uses Palantir’s FedStart hosting environment, a popular software-as-a-service system that allows private companies to meet the federal government’s strict security mandates without going through the onerous security clearance accreditation process. Oura uses Palantir’s cloud environment to host its processing of consenting military personnel’s biometric data. According to the company, customers sporting its new Oura 4 smart rings are not affected.
Some customers are still not convinced by the company’s explanations. On the one hand, Anthropic’s fallout with the Pentagon and Silicon Valley’s subsequent acquiescence demonstrate both the administration’s willingness to pressure private partners and the potential fragility of its liberal resistance. If Oura currently refuses to sell its customers’ data, there are no legal rules guaranteeing these protections. Despite the assurances, some customers are stressing the importance of boycotting companies linked to an increasingly pervasive U.S. surveillance state and the administration that orchestrates it. Ultimately, the saga highlights broader concerns about users’ biometric data.
A mission-ready product
Following these revelations, social media swirled with accusations regarding Oura and its contracts. Conspiracy theories accused the Finnish company of secretly selling its customers’ biometric data to the US military. Meanwhile, videos showed angry customers throwing their smart rings in the trash. The reality of Oura’s deal with Palantir is more benign.
In an era where cloud security is paramount, Palantir’s FedStart has become an essential tool for private companies looking to participate in government contracts. Companies like Anthropic and Google depend on FedStart to provide services that meet federal security requirements. For Oura, such a partnership is essential to serving its largest corporate client, the U.S. Department of Defense. Cloud security is essential in executing these types of contracts. In 2017, for example, data from the Strava smart wearable revealed the locations of secret military outposts and intelligence stations. Oura’s partnership with Palantir aims to make this sensitive data more secure.
The Pentagon has deployed Oura’s multifunctional smart rings since 2019, following a series of deadly collisions with the US Navy linked to sailors’ lack of sleep. Since then, the company has partnered with the Navy to study crew fatigue and worked with the Army to track soldiers’ biometric data during field exercises. According to press releases, Oura is also collaborating with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Soldier Center, the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Naval Health Research Center to develop “mission-ready” products. The Pentagon even distributes personnel screening devices as a fringe benefit. However, the relationship between Oura and the Pentagon is not infallible. In 2025, for example, the Pentagon canceled a $96 million contract with the company, following a series of protests from customers and competitors. Despite this setback, Oura continues to strengthen its ties with the US government.
Take a look at Roe v. Wade
This is not to say that advocates’ concerns are unfounded. For one thing, wearable devices aren’t covered by HIPAA, meaning customers must rely on company policies rather than medical privacy laws to protect their biometric data. To Oura’s credit, its privacy policy explicitly states that it does not sell customer data. However, the company remains bound by the US data privacy framework and may be forced to provide its customers’ data by court order. And while Oura has said it will oppose requests for oversight and lawsuits, critics say those lines in the sand are at the company’s discretion.
As several high-profile tech companies move closer to administration, it’s reasonable to wonder whether a company’s commitment to user privacy will remain steadfast. This is especially true given Oura’s increasing overtures toward the administration’s push to circumvent onerous regulations. Additionally, a series of patent infringement lawsuits brought to exclude competitors from the market have added fuel to the speculative fire. And while none of these factors mean Oura is about to change its stance on privacy, Silicon Valley’s recent history of trading security for regulatory favors is not encouraging.
One concern cited by users who ditched their smart rings was Oura’s tracking of menstrual data. Once a selling point, advocates now fear it could be used to limit access to abortion and prosecute women seeking to exercise their reproductive rights in a post-Roe v. Wade. More broadly, the debate highlights growing tensions around consumer privacy. As things stand, companies like Oura are asking their customers to rely on the moral courage of their leaders to guarantee their right to privacy. Increasingly, it’s a good deal that customers don’t want to do.