Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has defended the controversial surveillance software developed by US company Palantir, emphasizing its potential to aid in crime prevention and investigation.
Speaking to “Stern” magazine, Dobrindt stated he harbors no concerns regarding the software’s origin, asserting that his focus lies solely on bolstering law enforcement capabilities. He cited assessments from the Fraunhofer Institute which reportedly refute allegations of data transfer to the United States. “Therefore, I cannot understand the current uproar surrounding this software” he explained.
The software, which utilizes artificial intelligence, has drawn criticism due to its past use by US immigration authorities for real-time tracking and concerns surrounding its co-founder, Peter Thiel, a close associate of former President Donald Trump. The German Ministry of the Interior is currently developing the legal framework for launching a new platform for automated data analysis, a process Dobrindt stressed would be “technology and supplier neutral.
The minister highlighted the potential for the new digital tools and AI implementation to significantly alleviate the workload of Germany’s 55,000 federal police officers. Both a revised Federal Police Law and a proposed amendment to the Federal Criminal Police Office Law are currently undergoing inter-ministerial coordination, with both drafts expected to be presented to the cabinet “in the coming weeks”.