GoKawiilGermany's domestic intelligence agency has reportedly chosen a data analysis system from France, instead of US-based Palantir. Civil society has welcomed the move, but says more must be done.
Palantir has long divided opinions. In the eyes of its proponents and opponents, the analysis tools made by the publicly traded US company which are in-demand worldwide are either a silver bullet or the devil's work. Against this backdrop, a media report has emerged in Germany: according to information from the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, as well as public broadcasters NDR and WDR, the country's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV) has decided against using Palantir.
No official confirmation or denial
According to reports, Germany's domestic intelligence agency has instead settled on a product from French company ChapsVision. However, there is no official confirmation of this — neither from the software company nor the BfV. A spokesperson from the German Ministry of the Interior told DW that the BfV generally does not comment publicly on operational matters, arguing it "could pose a security risk that would allow conclusions to be drawn about the working methods of the BfV."
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The decisicion on which software to use is based on the technology available, the spokesperson continued. "There is no focus on a particular manufacturer."
Software for counterintelligence and counterterrorism
Rather, the capabilities of the analytical tools offered are determinant in who is awarded the final contract. The BfV says it needs such powerful AI-based programs for counterintelligence and counterterrorism, as well as the surveillance of any kind of political and religious extremism.
To fulfil these duties, the domestic security agency wants to, in the words of its president Sinan Selen, expand its "toolbox". Other German security agencies are also pushing for this, especially the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst, BND) for foreign intelligence and the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA).
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