Concerns are mounting within Germany regarding a potential nationwide deployment of data analytics software from the US-based company Palantir to German police forces. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has signaled strong opposition to the proposal, raising significant questions about data security, transparency and adherence to fundamental rights.
Johannes Schätzl, the SPD’s digital policy spokesperson, voiced his reservations in an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau, stating that reliance on a US company whose algorithms lack transparency and operate outside of democratic oversight poses a substantial risk. He definitively rejected the idea of utilizing Palantir’s software within German security agencies.
The debate follows earlier calls from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who had previously indicated the possibility of widespread adoption of Palantir’s software across German police departments. Schätzl highlighted Palantir’s close ties to the Trump administration and US intelligence services, citing the company’s co-founder, Peter Thiel, as an individual with publicly stated opposition to democratic principles. He warned that granting such a company access to sensitive citizen data could jeopardize the independence of Germany’s security infrastructure and undermine fundamental freedoms.
Furthermore, Schätzl questioned the compatibility of Palantir’s system with European fundamental rights, the upcoming AI Act and Germany’s Basic Law.
Opposition parties, the Green Party and the Left Party, share these concerns. Marcel Emmerich, the Green Party’s interior policy spokesperson, urged Dobrindt to prioritize the development and implementation of existing German and European alternatives that offer greater transparency and legal certainty. His criticism focused on what he views as Dobrindt’s inaction in this regard, calling it “irresponsible.
Clara Bünger, the Left Party’s interior policy expert, expressed fears that the Palantir software could trigger a widespread infringement on the privacy of millions of people in Germany. The ongoing discussion underscores a deep-seated debate about the balance between security needs and the protection of civil liberties within the German context.