Germany Demands Removal of Chinese AI App DeepSeek from App Stores Over Data Privacy Concerns

Germany tells Apple, Google to remove DeepSeek from the country's app stores | TechCrunch

Germany has told Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI app DeepSeek from their app stores in the country, saying the app transfers users' information to China illegally, Reuters reported. Meike Kamp, Germany's data protection commissioner, told the companies that DeepSeek did not provide "convincing evidence" that users' data was protected as required by EU laws, the report said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," Kamp said, adding that the two tech firms must now decide whether to remove the app. Kamp said that her office had asked DeepSeek to comply with EU laws for transferring data outside the bloc or pull its app from the country, but the Chinese company did not do so. Italy earlier this year banned DeepSeek from app stores in the country, citing similar data protection concerns. Notably, two key details about DeepSeek that consumer privacy advocate groups in the EU highlighted are that the service is made in and operates out of China. Per its privacy policy, this includes the information and data that DeepSeek collects and stores, which is also housed in its home country. Apple and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Germany Wants Apple, Google to Remove DeepSeek From Their App Stores

Apple and Google have been asked to consider banning the artificial intelligence chatbot app DeepSeek from their respective app stores in Germany. Berlin's data protection commissioner, Meike Kamp, says the app's user privacy rules violate Germany's data protection laws. "The transfer of user data by DeepSeek to China is illegal," she says. Kamp's department asked DeepSeek to change its rules for non-EU data transfers in May or withdraw from the German market. DeepSeek didn't respond to the requests. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," Kamp adds. Kamp is asking Apple and Google to review a request to remove the app from the App Store and Play Store and act on it in an undefined "timely" manner. The rule change may have ripple effects across Europe and the UK. Matt Holman, AI and data lawyer at Cripps, suggests to CNBC that the move "could lead to an EU-wide ban because the rules that apply in Germany are the same elsewhere in the EU and also in the UK." Earlier this week, a group of US lawmakers introduced a bill, the "No Adversarial AI Act," that would ban federal agencies from using tools developed in China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. PCMag recently reviewed DeepSeek, and we found it lacking some tools many other chatbots offer. "In addition to problematic censorship and data collection policies, DeepSeek falls short on features and performance. There are better AI chatbots out there," we concluded.

Apple, Google Told Chinese DeepSeek App Is Illegal in Germany

Apple Inc. and Google's Android have been warned by a top German privacy regulator that the Chinese AI service DeepSeek, available on their app stores, constitutes illegal content because it exposes users' data to Chinese authorities. The formal notification comes after DeepSeek ignored a May request to either pull its app from app stores in Germany or put in place safeguards when collecting local users' data and transmitting it to China, Berlin data protection commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday.

DeepSeek faces expulsion from app stores in Germany

FRANKFURT, June 27 (Reuters) - Germany has taken steps towards blocking Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from the Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab app stores due to concerns about data protection, according to a data protection authority commissioner in a statement on Friday. DeepSeek has been reported to the two U.S. tech giants as illegal content, said commissioner Meike Kamp, and the companies must now review the concerns and decide whether to block the app in Germany. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," she said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The move comes after Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations. DeepSeek, which shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model that rivaled those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost, says it stores numerous personal data, such as requests to the AI or uploaded files, on computers in China. Reporting by Hakan Ersen, Writing by Miranda Murray Editing by Ludwig Burger Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Boards, Policy & Regulation

Governments, regulators increase scrutiny of DeepSeek

June 27 (Reuters) - Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which said in January it had developed an AI model to rival ChatGPT at much lower cost, has come under scrutiny in some countries for its security policies and privacy practices. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. Below are countries' actions regarding DeepSeek: AUSTRALIA In early February, Australia banned DeepSeek from all government devices over concerns that it posed security risks. GERMANY Germany has asked Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab to remove DeepSeek from their stores due to concerns about data safety, a data protection authority commissioner said in June. INDIA India's finance ministry asked its employees at the beginning of February to avoid using AI tools including ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official purposes, citing risks posed to confidentiality of government documents and data. ITALY Italy's antitrust watchdog AGCM said in mid-June that it had opened an investigation into DeepSeek for allegedly failing to warn users that it may produce false information. In January it blocked the app citing a lack of information on its use of personal data. RUSSIA Russia's President Vladimir Putin in early February instructed Sberbank to collaborate with Chinese researchers on joint AI projects, a top executive at Russia's biggest bank told Reuters. SOUTH KOREA South Korea's data protection authority said in mid-February that new downloads of the DeepSeek app had been suspended in the country after the startup acknowledged failing to take into account some of the agency's rules on protecting personal data. Earlier in February, the industry minister had temporarily blocked employee access to DeepSeek due to security concerns. The service became available again at the end of April. TAIWAN Taiwan in February banned government departments from using DeepSeek's service as it saw it as a security risk. It also raised concerns about censorship on DeepSeek and the risk of data ending up in China. NETHERLANDS The Netherlands' privacy watchdog at the end of January said it would launch an investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek's data collection practices and urged Dutch users to exercise caution with the company's software. The government has also banned civil servants from using the app, citing policy regarding countries with an offensive cyber program, the government spokesperson said in late July. UNITED STATES The Trump administration is weighing penalties that would block DeepSeek from buying U.S. technology, and is debating barring Americans' access to its services, the New York Times reported in April. Compiled by Mateusz Rabiega and Paolo Laudani in Gdansk Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial IntelligenceData Privacy

Germany asks Google, Apple remove DeepSeek AI from app stores

The Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection has formally requested Google and Apple to remove the DeepSeek AI application from the application stores due to GDPR violations. The commissioner, Meike Kamp, alleges that DeepSeek's owner, Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, based in Beijing, unlawfully collects data from German users and transfers them for processing in servers in China. As per the GDPR and Article 46 (1) specifically, any personal data collected from individuals in the European Union must be protected according to the standards upheld by the regulatory act. However, China has very lax data protection regulations and a history of excessive data access requests to private entities. Because of this, it is unlikely that DeepSeek has implemented sufficient legal safeguards to guarantee its security to EU standards. "The company has no branch within the European Union (EU)," explains the commissioner. "The service is made available to users in Germany, among other places, through apps in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store with German-language descriptions and can be used in the German language." "This makes the service subject to the provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)." DeepSeek is a Chinese AI platform that rose to prominence in January 2025 after the release of the third generation of its chatbot, which came with extensive capabilities. Although this sudden popularity was quickly tarnished by serious cybersecurity problems that exposed insecure practices, the platform continued to enjoy popularity in the global AI community. The DeepSeek AI app has 50 million downloads on Google Play, Android's official app store, and thousands of ratings on Apple's App Store. Kamp had requested DeepSeek to voluntarily remove its apps from app stores in Germany this year on May 6 but the company refused to comply. Hence, the Berlin authorities now made use of Article 16 of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which allows them to report illegal content on platforms to the respective operators, in this case, Apple and Google. The two tech giants will now have to review the commissioner's report and decide whether DeepSeek AI will be removed from their stores or not. Although the request was submitted by a state-level regulator and not the German government, there is coordinationwith other regulators from Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Bremen, as well as the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). BleepingComputer has contacted Google, Apple, and DeepSeek to comment on the situation, and we will update this post when we hear back from them.

Germany tells Apple, Google to block DeepSeek as the Chinese AI app faces rising pressure in Europe

One of Germany's data protection watchdogs on Friday said DeepSeek's app illegally sends user data to China and asked Google and Apple to consider blocking the artificial intelligence service. Berlin's data protection commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement that DeepSeek's transfer of German user data to China is "unlawful." There is not a readily available way to get in touch with DeepSeek. CNBC has reached out to DeepSeek's privacy team. Chinese firm DeepSeek made waves this year when it launched an AI model that it claimed was created at a fraction of the cost of competitors, using less advanced Nvidia chips. The company also has its own global chatbot AI app, which has been downloaded millions of times, garnering scrutiny. If the German case against DeepSeek progresses, it could lead to a European Union-wide ban for the app, some experts say. "It is certainly possible that this incident could lead to an EU-wide ban because the rules that apply in Germany are the same elsewhere in the EU and also in the UK," Matt Holman, specialist AI and data lawyer at Cripps, told CNBC by email. There are a few steps before this would become reality, however.

Germany asks Apple and Google to pull DeepSeek app - 9to5Mac

Germany just became the latest country to move against DeepSeek over mounting data privacy concerns. Here's why this keeps happening. When DeepSeek took the world by storm earlier this year, it wasn't long before it found itself in the crosshairs of governments in the West. First, because users quickly learned that its models were heavily moderated, skirting answering questions that could cast China and its government in a bad light. Second, and more critically, DeepSeek's own privacy policy confirms that the app stores user prompts, uploaded files, and other personal data on servers in China, where authorities have sweeping access under the country's national intelligence laws. That's raised red flags globally. Italy was one of the first to remove DeepSeek from local app stores. South Korea did it too. In the Netherlands, it was banned on government devices. Belgium recommended public officials steer clear, and Spain's leading consumer group has formally called for an investigation. Meanwhile, in the U.S., lawmakers are reportedly drafting legislation that would basically prohibit federal agencies from using any AI developed in China. One senator floated the idea of jailing those who use it. This week, Germany's top data protection regulator formally asked Apple and Google to remove Chinese startup DeepSeek from their app stores, citing concerns over the illegal transfer of personal data to China. In a statement issued Friday (via Reuters), Meike Kamp, Berlin's federal commissioner for data protection and freedom of information, said DeepSeek failed to provide sufficient guarantees that user data is protected under standards equivalent to those in the EU: "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union." Kamp's office had previously asked DeepSeek to meet EU data transfer requirements or pull the app voluntarily. It didn't. While it is worth noting that while DeepSeek's local, open-source models are relatively easy to fine-tune or detangle from their original China-centric biases, that's not the case for the app or website, both of which run a hosted version controlled entirely by the company. As for the takedown request, Google told Reuters it's currently reviewing it. Apple hasn't commented, but we've reached out and will update this post if we hear back.

DeepSeek faces yet another country-wide ban -- here's what that means for you

Chinese AI app DeepSeek could be facing another ban, this time in Germany. Data protection official Meike Kamp has filed a formal request with both Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek from digital storefronts. Kamp, the Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, has accused the app of sending personal data to China, a violation of European Union law. In May, the official requested that DeepSeek comply with legal requirements for data transfer, remove the app themselves, or stop the data transfer. Kamp's requests were not responded to, leading to the report being filed to both Apple and Google. Here's what Kamp had to say (machine translated): "The transfer of user data by DeepSeek to China is unlawful. DeepSeek has not been able to convincingly prove to my authority that data from German users: Inside China is protected at a level equivalent to that of the European Union. Chinese authorities have extensive access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies. In addition, DeepSeek users in China do not have enforceable rights and effective remedies guaranteed in the European Union. I have therefore informed Google and Apple, as operators of the largest app platforms, about the violations and expect a blocking to be checked as soon as possible." It remains to be seen what steps Apple or Google will take (if any), but it's clear that each isn't afraid to respond. DeepSeek drew similar concerns from Italian and Irish watchdogs earlier this year, and was pulled from Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store in Italy, with customers being advised that the app was "currently not available in the country or area you are in". Other countries, while not immediately banning the use of Deepseek are wary of it. The British governemnt has said the use of Deepseek remains a personal choice for the public, but they do monitor all national security threats from any source. The Chinese AI model, which launched in late 2024, had huge ramifications for stock prices of US-based tech firms thanks to its rapid adoption and meteoric rise to prominence as a competitor to the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. "Our office will launch an in-depth investigation to see if GDPR rules [European Union data protection regulations] are being respected," said the head of the Italian data regulator, Pasquale Stanzione, back in January. According to Deepseek's own privacy policy, it stores numerous bits of personal data, such as requests to its AI system or uploaded files. All of this information is stored on computers in China. In our guide on how to opt out of data training, Deepseek stood out as the hardest AI model to get out of data usage. In recent days, Chinese search engine Baidu has announced its Ernie LLM will go open source, suggesting there are more models to come from the country yet.

Germany tells Apple to remove DeepSeek from the App Store

DeepSeek has been declared by German regulators to contain illegal content because of its security issues, and the local government wants it removed from the App Store and Google Play Store. DeepSeek is the Chinese generative AI app that jumped to the top of the US App Store, was famously developed for a fraction of what OpenAI spent on ChatGPT, and has even been politely praised by Tim Cook. However, it also comes with severe security issues, and this is what has prompted Germany's decision. According to Reuters, Germany's data protection commissioner Meike Kamp has asked Apple and Google to remove it after DeepSeek failed to meet requested security standards. She asked DeepSeek in May 2025 to meet requirements, or to voluntarily withdraw its app, and it did neither. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," said Kamp. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies." Germany's move follows Italy's having it removed from App Stores early in 2025, while the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. DeepSeek is now reportedly aiding China's military and intelligence operations, and the US is looking to ban executive agencies from using any AI models developer in China. In February 2025, security firm NowSecure claimed to have proof that DeepSeek's iOS app was sending data to Chinese-owned services. It noted that the Android version was even less secure. While neither Apple nor Google have commented, the fact that both companies complied with Italy's request to remove the app means they will surely do the same for Germany.

German official urges Apple and Google to ban AI company DeepSeek

DeepSeek's transfer of user data to China is 'unlawful,' said a data protection official. A German data protection official has accused the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek of illegally transferring user data to China. Meike Kamp, Berlin's commissioner for data protection and freedom of information, reported DeepSeek to Apple and Google and asked the American companies to remove DeepSeek from their app stores. In a statement released on Friday, Kamp said DeepSeek did not provide "convincing evidence" that users' data was protected, as is required by European Union law. "DeepSeek's transfer of user data to China is unlawful," Kamp said, adding that "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies". "Furthermore, DeepSeek users in China do not have the enforceable rights and effective legal remedies guaranteed in the European Union," Kamp said. She said that Apple and Google must now review the report and decide whether to remove the app. Kamp said that her office had asked DeepSeek to either comply with EU laws for transferring data outside the bloc or pull its app from Germany, but that DeepSeek has not taken either option. Under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), companies are banned from sending data outside the region unless specific safeguards are in place in the countries where the data is sent. DeepSeek made waves in January when it launched its AI model, claiming it was created at a fraction of the cost of competitors. But studies have shown there are concerns over cybersecurity and safety, including DeepSeek-R1's susceptibility to generating harmful and biased content. As it is a China-based company, the country's law states that any data shared on mobile and web apps can be accessed by Chinese intelligence agencies, which is also generating national security fears. Italy banned DeepSeek from its app stores in January, citing data protection concerns. The country's data protection authority ordered a block on Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence - the Chinese companies behind the DeepSeek chatbot - to force them to stop processing Italians' data. The move comes after DeepSeek reportedly told the Italian authorities that it would not cooperate with a request for information.

Germany asks Apple and Google to block DeepSeek app

German data protection commissioner Meike Kamp stated that DeepSeek's transfer of user data to China is 'unlawful'. A German data protection official has said that Chinese AI app DeepSeek illegally transfers user data to China, and has asked Google and Apple to consider blocking the app in the country. Meike Kamp, the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, released a statement today (27 June) where she said that DeepSeek facilitates the "unlawful" transfer of personal data collected from users to Chinese data processors and stores it on servers in China. As a result, Kamp has informed Google and Apple, requesting that the tech giants consider blocking the app on their app stores in Germany. "The transfer of user data by DeepSeek to China is unlawful. DeepSeek has not been able to provide my office with convincing evidence that data of German users is protected in China at a level equivalent to that of the European Union," wrote Kamp in today's statement. "Chinese authorities have extensive access rights to personal data held by Chinese companies. In addition, DeepSeek users in China do not have enforceable rights and effective legal remedies as guaranteed in the European Union. "I have therefore informed Google and Apple, as operators of the largest app platforms, of the violations and expect a prompt review of a blocking." DeepSeek shook up the AI world at the beginning of this year after releasing its large language model R1, which performs on par with industry heavyweights like OpenAI's GPT-4 and Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet models. The open-source model sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, especially since the Chinese start-up claimed that R1 was considerably cheaper to train when compared with its competitors. However, not long after the start-up took the AI spotlight, the data watchdogs of numerous countries - including Ireland - began investigating the company over privacy concerns, particularly due to the start-up's storage of user data in servers located in China. At the end of January, Italy blocked the app from the country's app stores due to its privacy concerns. Amid the app's surge in popularity, DeepSeek briefly halted new registrations on its AI platform due to "large scale malicious attacks" on its services. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

DeepSeek faces expulsion from app stores in Germany - The Economic Times

Germany has taken steps towards blocking Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from the Apple and Google app stores due to concerns about data protection, according to a data protection authority commissioner in a statement on Friday. DeepSeek has been reported to the two US tech giants as illegal content, said commissioner Meike Kamp, and the companies must now review the concerns and decide whether to block the app in Germany. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," she said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The move comes after Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations. DeepSeek, which shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model that rivaled those from US firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost, says it stores numerous personal data, such as requests to the AI or uploaded files, on computers in China.

German Data Protection Authority Asks Apple and Google to Stop Distributing DeepSeek App | PYMNTS.com

Kamp contacted Apple and Google after DeepSeek failed to comply with the commissioner's request to either remove its app from German app stores, stop illegally transferring data to China, or meet the legal requirements for lawful third-country transfers, according to the release. DeepSeek collects all text entries, chat histories, uploaded files, and information about locations, devices and networks; transmits that data to Chinese processors; and stores it on Chinese servers, the release said. "I have therefore informed Google and Apple, as operators of the largest app platforms, of the violations and expect a timely consideration of a blocking," Kamp said in the release, per the Google translation. DeepSeek also faces a challenge in the United States. In April, the House Select Committee on China recommended that the U.S. government address risk from Chinese AI models after finding that DeepSeek presents a threat to U.S. security.

DeepSeek faces ban from Apple, Google app stores in Germany

FRANKFURT -- Germany's data protection commissioner has asked Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country due to concerns about data protection, following a similar crackdown elsewhere. Commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday that she had made the request because DeepSeek illegally transfers users' personal data to China. The two U.S. tech giants must now review the request promptly and decide whether to block the app in Germany, she added, though her office has not set a precise timeframe. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Apple and Google were not immediately available for comment. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI program or uploaded files, on computers in China. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," Kamp said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The commissioner said she took the decision after asking DeepSeek in May to meet the requirements for non-EU data transfers or else voluntarily withdraw its app. DeepSeek did not comply with this request, she added. DeepSeek shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model to rival those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost. However, it has come under scrutiny in the United States and Europe for its data security policies. Italy blocked it from app stores there earlier this year, citing a lack of information on its use of personal data, while the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. Belgium has recommended government officials not to use DeepSeek. "Further analyzes are underway to evaluate the approach to be followed," a government spokesperson said. In Spain, the consumer rights group OCU asked the government's data protection agency in February to investigate threats likely posed by DeepSeek, though no ban has come into force. U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would ban U.S. executive agencies from using any AI models developed in China. Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations. ---

Germany asks Apple, Google to block Chinese AI firm DeepSeek from app...

A top regulator in Germany asked Google and Apple on Friday to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in their country due to data privacy concerns. Meike Kamp, Germany's data protection commissioner, said in a statement that DeepSeek's transfer of German user data to servers based in China was "unlawful." "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," Kamp said in a statement. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. Kamp advised the two Big Tech giants to review her request promptly and decide whether to ban the DeepSeek app, though her office did not set a deadline. She noted that DeepSeek had not complied with requests to meet the European Union's data privacy standards. Representatives for Apple and Google did not immediately return a request for comment. DeepSeek exploded onto the scene in January and briefly caused a major tech stock selloff after it released an AI model that it claimed to have trained at a fraction of the cost of rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT - and without access to the most advanced computer chips. As The Post has reported, DeepSeek's own terms of service disclose that user data is stored "in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China" - posing the same national security risk that led Congress to crack down on ByteDance-owned TikTok. The company also says it automatically collects data on personal information such as "device model, operating system, keystroke patterns or rhythms, IP address, and system language." In March, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration was "likely" to ban the DeepSeek app from government devices. Elsewhere, New York state has already instituted a ban from government devices and networks due to "serious concerns" over data privacy and censorship risks. In Europe, Italy has blocked DeepSeek from its app stores. The Netherlands nixed it from government devices.

DeepSeek faces ban from Apple, Google app stores in Germany

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany's data protection commissioner has asked Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country due to concerns about data protection, following a similar crackdown elsewhere. Commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday that she had made the request because DeepSeek illegally transfers users' personal data to China. The two U.S. tech giants must now review the request promptly and decide whether to block the app in Germany, she added, though her office has not set a precise timeframe. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Apple and Google were not immediately available for comment. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," Kamp said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The commissioner said she took the decision after asking DeepSeek in May to meet the requirements for non-EU data transfers or else voluntarily withdraw its app. DeepSeek did not comply with this request, she added. DeepSeek shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model to rival those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost. However, it has come under scrutiny in the United States and Europe for its data security policies. Italy blocked it from app stores there earlier this year, citing a lack of information on its use of personal data, while the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. Belgium has recommended government officials not to use DeepSeek. "Further analyses are underway to evaluate the approach to be followed," a government spokesperson said. In Spain, the consumer rights group OCU asked the government's data protection agency in February to investigate threats likely posed by DeepSeek, though no ban has come into force. U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would ban U.S. executive agencies from using any AI models developed in China. Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations. (Reporting by Hakan Ersen, Miranda Murray, Charlotte van Campenhout, David Latona; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Mark Potter)

DeepSeek faces expulsion from app stores in Germany

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany has taken steps towards blocking Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from the Apple and Google app stores due to concerns about data protection, according to a data protection authority commissioner in a statement on Friday. DeepSeek has been reported to the two U.S. tech giants as illegal content, said commissioner Meike Kamp, and the companies must now review the concerns and decide whether to block the app in Germany. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," she said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The move comes after Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations. DeepSeek, which shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model that rivaled those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost, says it stores numerous personal data, such as requests to the AI or uploaded files, on computers in China. (Reporting by Hakan Ersen, Writing by Miranda MurrayEditing by Ludwig Burger)

DeepSeek faces expulsion from Apple, Google app stores in Germany

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany's data protection commissioner has asked Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country due to concerns about data protection. Commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday that she had made the request because DeepSeek illegally transfers users' personal data to China. The two U.S. tech giants must now review the request promptly and decide whether to block the app in Germany, she added. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Apple and Google were not immediately available for comment. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," Kamp said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The commissioner said she took the decision after asking DeepSeek in May to meet the requirements for non-EU data transfers or else voluntarily withdraw its app. DeepSeek did not comply with this request, she added. DeepSeek shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model to rival those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost. However, it has come under scrutiny in the United States and Europe for its data security policies. Italy blocked it from app stores there earlier this year, citing a lack of information on its use of personal data, while the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would ban U.S. executive agencies from using any AI models developed in China. Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations. (Reporting by Hakan Ersen and Charlotte van Campenhout. Writing by Miranda Murray. Editing by Matthias Williams and Mark Potter)