Despite much public criticism, despite serious disagreements within the green-black coalition, despite protest petitions: the state parliament finally wants to pave the way for the use of the US company’s data analysis software Palantir by the police. On Wednesday, lawmakers will vote on changing police laws so police can also use the program.
Supporters look on software a tool to catch criminals faster. Opponents of the policy warn against surveillance, misuse of sensitive data and reliance on US companies. About what:
What is Palantir?
Palantir is an American software company that develops data analysis programs for security agencies, intelligence agencies, and the military. The most famous product is called “Gotham” – so you can POLICE Link millions of datasets from multiple sources and look for connections – for example between people, places and events. Importantly, this program only has access to information that the police have collected.
The idea: Investigators should be able to recognize patterns more quickly in large amounts of information — for example on terrorist suspects or in abuse cases. Other federal states such as Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia are already using this software.
Why is this program so controversial?
Critics fear a dragnet search at the push of a button: With “Gotham,” police can log not only suspects, but also bystanders in the data set, who they are concerned about – such as witnesses or victims. Data protection advocates warn against over-linking sensitive data. The Society for Freedom Rights (GFF) has even filed a constitutional complaint against the use of the program in Bavaria. Palantir Company ensures that it does not collect, sell or process any data for its own purposes.
Opponents also warn that the software makes security-related infrastructure dependent on US companies. They worry that police data could flow to the US. Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel, a tech billionaire and Donald Trump supporter, is also highly controversial. Thiel is known for his right-wing libertarian and conservative views – and his skepticism of liberal democracy.
Currently, Thiel only owns about seven percent of the company and runs the Baden-Württemberg company Ministry of Internal Affairs to.
Who is leading the resistance against Palantir?
There is resistance, especially among the Green Party. It is true that the government coalition has reached an agreement with CDU An agreement has been reached regarding the use of the software, but the issue remains unclear at the grassroots level. A Green Party member from Freiburg recently started an online petition against the use of the software and quickly gathered 13,000 signatures. The Petitions Committee must deal with the issue – but it does not have the authority to overturn the government’s decision.
In addition to the petition, the Green Party submitted a ballot initiative opposing the use of Palantir to the state executive council. If five percent of party members support it, a vote will be held.
What do the police say about this?
State police see this software as a much-needed tool. The fact is: investigators are struggling with ever-larger piles of data. The Bavarian State Criminal Police Office reports that 200 trained analysts there use the software. Questions that previously took days can now be resolved in minutes. In North Rhine-Westphalia, according to the Ministry of the Interior, the platform even helps determine the identity of the perpetrator in cases of abuse – just by using a phone number and nickname.
Isn’t there an alternative to Palantir?
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, currently not yet. Palantir is the technology market leader in the region; no comparable product was available in a timely manner, State Police President Stefanie Hinz said at the state legislature. In the long term, the country wants to develop its own sovereign software together with partners such as Airbus Defense and Space and Schwarz Digits, the IT and digital division of the Schwarz Group, to become self-sufficient.
How should use be controlled?
Police may only use this app under strict conditions; the data is located in a secure data center in Germany, exclusively under police authority. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) assured that access from abroad is impossible. A parliamentary control committee should also monitor work with the software. IT security reports are submitted regularly to the committee.
What’s next in the southwest?
The state parliament wants to decide to change the police law on Wednesday to legally safeguard the use of Palantir. The contract with Palantir was signed a long time ago. Deployment in Baden-Württemberg will cost around 25 million euros over five years. There is no exit clause.
Whether Palantir is ultimately just another technical bridging technology or an ongoing political dispute remains to be seen – at least when the police actually team up with “Gotham” next year. Investigators should be able to use the software starting in the second quarter of 2026. The state will have to pay for it now.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251112-930-280529/1
