Uproar in London over Palantir

London Mayor Sadiq Khan (Labour) is halting a planned contract between the London Metropolitan Police and the US software company Palantir. The reason for the veto against the 50 million pound contract, according to the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), is that the Metropolitan Police considered Palantir to be the only serious bidder. The authority had not submitted a complete procurement strategy for approval. This represents a "clear and serious breach" of the applicable procedural rules, the office stated.

According to reports, the Mayor's ethical concerns may also have played a role. Khan has previously emphasized that public funds should only go to companies that "share the values of our city". However, current UK procurement law does not permit ethical concerns when rejecting a potential public contractor.

Both Palantir and the Metropolitan Police criticized the Mayor's veto. A police spokesperson stated, according to the BBC, that the authority needs to modernize and therefore use the best possible technology.

Balancing performance and security

Palantir specializes in analyzing large amounts of data and develops software for security authorities, intelligence agencies, and military applications, among others. It is considered very effective but is criticized for several reasons. Against the backdrop of increasing tensions in transatlantic relations, concerns are growing about strong dependence on US software providers. The company's proximity to Donald Trump's US administration also causes concern on this side of the Atlantic.

Data protectionists have major concerns when personal data from various sources is combined and evaluated en masse – they fear transparent citizens. In the UK, Palantir has recently come under criticism, among other things, for its use by the English health service in the past few months.

No uniform approach in Germany

In Germany, several police authorities use the analysis platform "Gotham", also known as "VeRa" or "HessenData" in Hesse, including Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg. According to research by NDR, WDR, and SZ, it is used here in various investigations, not just for major threat situations like terrorist attacks. Other states such as Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have advocated for a solution from Europe in the Bundesrat.

The debate is also divided among security authorities in Germany. The Bundeswehr has so far opted against Palantir for security reasons. The BKA is currently leaving future software solutions open. However, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is now serious about digital sovereignty: it has just opted for the French provider ChapsVision.

(vbr)