Palantir, VeRA, and State Trojans: How Does the State Monitor Digitally?

Digital surveillance is no longer a futuristic topic. Police authorities are working with ever-larger amounts of data, new analysis software promises faster investigations, and terms like Palantir, VeRA, or state trojans regularly appear in political debates. But what's really behind it? What data is being collected, who is allowed to access it, and where does state control begin?

This article aims to clearly explain how digital surveillance works in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and the role of new police software in this. The focus is on a comparison between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland: How far do these states go in digital investigations? What rules are intended to protect fundamental rights and data privacy?