Palantir Technologies is not receiving support from Lower Saxony and Bremen in terms of investments or partnerships.
Lower Saxony and Bremen, two German regions, are currently without a widely implemented European alternative to Palantir's police software. This situation arises due to strict data protection regulations, sovereignty concerns, and the lack of mature European alternatives that meet privacy and legal requirements in a policing context [1][2][3][4][5].
The interior ministry of Lower Saxony has been monitoring the issue of data analysis systems for some time, and spokespeople from both interior ministries have expressed a preference for a European solution [6]. However, no specific details about the favored European solution have been provided.
In contrast, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Hesse have adopted Palantir's software, with the program exclusively operated on police servers in these regions [7]. The controversy surrounding Palantir centres on data privacy violations, lack of transparency, and insufficient democratic oversight due to the source code not being open, and the potential for data to be accessed by US authorities [1][2][4].
Despite these reservations, the absence of alternative solutions forces some German states to use Palantir. For instance, Senator Ulrich Maurer (SPD) in Bremen has referred to a resolution by the Interior Ministers' Conference aiming to strengthen internal security and achieve digital sovereignty in Europe [8]. However, the resolution does not specify a preference for a non-U.S. provider for data analysis software.
AI-driven data analysis, specifically the software named Gotham, is considered indispensable for internal security by Senator Maurer. Yet, data protection advocates have expressed concerns that Gotham may process information about innocent bystanders [9]. The use of Gotham in Bremen lacks a legal basis for risk prevention.
Palantir has refuted claims of inadequate data security in their software, stating that data transfer or leakage to the U.S. is technically impossible [10]. Despite criticism, Palantir remains dominant in German police due to a lack of viable European alternatives [3].
The European Media Freedom Act reinforces stringent rules on surveillance software use, emphasizing proportionality, judicial authorization, and restricting invasive tools [5]. This act complicates the deployment of such systems unless they meet stringent criteria, underscoring why reliance on US software is controversial and alternatives are needed but not yet operational in Lower Saxony and Bremen.
In conclusion, the search for a European alternative to Palantir's police software continues in Lower Saxony and Bremen, driven by data protection concerns, political opposition, and the unavailability of mature European alternatives that satisfy privacy and legal requirements as of mid-2025. The absence of alternative solutions forces some German states to use Palantir despite reservations.
Technology giants and global policymakers are increasingly recognizing the urgency of developing a Europe-based alternative to Palantir's controversial police software, given the strict data protection regulations, sovereignty concerns, and lack of mature European alternatives in the field of policing tech [1][2][3][4][5].
The lack of specific European solutions, despite political preferences for one, highlights the pressing need for technology innovation that aligns with the General-news agenda of data privacy, transparency, and democratic oversight in the European context [6][7][8][9].
