The Federal Ministry of the Interior has refuted reports of a sole evaluation of US-based company Palantir’s analytics software for potential nationwide police deployment.
A spokesperson for the Ministry, in statements to the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, confirmed that a review process is underway, clarifying that “various options are being considered”. The evaluation is being conducted “in an open manner, both in terms of results and technology” and is based on technical requirements, the Ministry spokesperson added. A pre-selection of specific products has not been made and the assessment will adhere to the guidelines established by the Interior Ministers’ Conference (IMK).
The initial reporting by “Stern” magazine suggested that Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) was specifically examining the potential nationwide implementation of Palantir’s software, a proposition that has drawn scrutiny from both political circles and civil society organizations.
Despite the controversy, the Ministry maintains that Palantir is a leading provider in this area. According to the Ministry, Palantir Technologie GmbH’s software was the only solution available on the market that met the stringent criteria defined in a Europe-wide procurement process conducted by the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office with involvement from the Federal Ministry of the Interior.