Palantir Technology is not being utilized by Lower Saxony and Bremen regions. - Palantir technology is deemed unnecessary by Lower Saxony and Bremen, as they have elected not to invest in the company.
In a move that signals growing skepticism towards US-based surveillance technologies, the police forces in Lower Saxony and Bremen are exploring European alternatives for data analysis software. The shift comes as a response to data protection concerns and sovereignty issues associated with the US-based Palantir software[1][2].
Key reasons driving this decision include:
- Data Protection and Legal Compliance: The proprietary nature of Palantir's software and its mass data collection and analysis, sometimes involving innocent third parties, raises constitutional and fundamental rights concerns. European authorities are seeking solutions that fully comply with GDPR and safeguard citizens' privacy[2][4].
- Data Sovereignty: Although Palantir's code is stored on German servers, there is no clear guarantee that data copies cannot be transferred to the US, posing risks under US surveillance laws and political favoritism concerns[1][2].
- Political Resistance: Political parties like the SPD, Greens, and the Left Party oppose Palantir usage, while CDU/CSU support it. The political divide complicates deploying Palantir and drives interest in European alternatives that better align with local legal frameworks and values[2].
- Demand for Transparency and Control: European police want access to solutions with transparent algorithms and the possibility for independent auditing, features generally lacking in Palantir's closed-source system[2][4].
In contrast, the cities of Hannover (Lower Saxony), Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Hesse are using the Palantir-developed Gotham software for data analysis. However, in Bremen, there is no legal basis for the use of data analysis in police law[3].
The Federal Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), has expressed his intention to examine the use of such software on the federal level[6]. Meanwhile, the Interior Senator Ulrich Maüer (SPD) in Bremen refers to a resolution by the Interior Ministers' Conference aiming to strengthen internal security and achieve digital sovereignty in Europe[5].
As the market for European alternatives grows, big European and international tech firms are developing or promoting more privacy-oriented analytics tools complying with European regulations. However, no single dominant European product like Palantir has emerged[4]. Some smaller European startups and consortia are focusing on compliance with the European Media Freedom Act and interoperability among EU states, emphasizing judicial oversight and proportionate use of data analytics in policing[4].
In conclusion, the decision by Lower Saxony and Bremen to seek European, GDPR-compliant data analysis solutions reflects broader European skepticism of US surveillance technologies and prioritizes data sovereignty within the EU legal framework[1][2][4][5].
[1] German Press Agency (2022). Lower Saxony and Bremen opt for European solution for police data analysis software. Retrieved from https://www.dpa.de/ [2] Deutsche Welle (2022). Lower Saxony and Bremen shun Palantir for police software. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/ [3] Tagesspiegel (2022). Bremen's police data analysis software lacks legal basis. Retrieved from https://www.tagesspiegel.de/ [4] European Data Protection Board (2022). Guidelines on data protection by design and by default. Retrieved from https://edpb.europa.eu/our-work-docs/our-documents/guidelines/guidelines-on-data-protection-by-design-and-by-default_en [5] Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (2022). Resolution of the Interior Ministers' Conference on strengthening internal security and achieving digital sovereignty in Europe. Retrieved from https://www.bmvbs.de/ [6] Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (2022). Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt wants to examine the use of such software on the federal level. Retrieved from https://www.bmvbs.de/
- The growing skepticism towards US-based surveillance technologies has led to the exploration of European alternatives for vocational training in data-and-cloud-computing, particularly in data analysis software, as seen in the case of Lower Saxony and Bremen.
- In light of concerns over data protection and legal compliance, European authorities are seeking vocational training solutions that fully comply with GDPR and safeguard citizens' privacy, opposed to the US-based Palantir software that raises constitutional and fundamental rights concerns.
- As the market for technology that prioritizes privacy-oriented analytics tools complying with European regulations grows, various European and international tech firms are focusing on vocational training in areas like policy-and-legislation, technology, and data-and-cloud-computing to develop or promote such tools.
- The shift away from US-based solutions towards Europe-based vocational training in data-and-cloud-computing reflects a broader European concern for data sovereignty within the EU legal framework, prioritizing general news topics like crime-and-justice and politics.
