US Lawmakers Propose Ban on Chinese AI App DeepSeek from Government Devices

US lawmakers want DeepSeek banned from government devices

Two US Congress members plan to introduce bipartisan legislation to ban China's DeepSeek AI chatbot from government devices. The bill's announcement came after a security expert said DeepSeek not only poses a threat to US AI stocks; it's also a national security risk. The chatbot has recently been the most downloaded app in the US. U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), each party's senior-most member on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, plan to introduce the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act." If all of this sounds familiar, the move echoes Congress' blocking of TikTok from government devices in 2022. That was the opening salvo in a saga that culminated in the US-wide ban the app is now staring down. The alarm follows an independent analysis from Feroot Security claiming that DeepSeek's code sends user data directly to the Chinese government-owned China Mobile. "We see direct links to servers and companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government," Feroot analyst Ivan Tsarynny said in an interview with ABC News. "This is something we've never seen before." "Our personal information is being sent to China, there is no denial, and the DeepSeek tool is collecting everything that American users connect to it," Tsarynny told the Wall Street Journal. ABC reported on Wednesday that multiple cybersecurity experts verified Feroot's findings. The US Navy and NASA have already banned DeepSeek from their employees' devices. Texas is the only state to have blocked the app from government devices. Three other countries have already beat the US to the punch in banning the app: Italy, South Korea and Australia. LaHood warned of the app's dangers. "The national security threat that DeepSeek -- a CCP-affiliated company -- poses to the United States is alarming," the Representative wrote in a press release. "DeepSeek's generative AI program acquires the data of US users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP. Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data." "We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek's malign activities," Gottheimer wrote. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security."

US lawmakers propose bill to ban China's DeepSeek on these devices | All about it

While DeepSeek has not publicly responded to the proposed ban, lawmakers in Washington appear determined.A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting the use of China's DeepSeek artificial intelligence software on government devices, citing concerns over national security and potential espionage risks. The bill was introduced by Republican Representative Darin LaHood (Illinois) and Democratic Representative Josh Gottheimer (New Jersey). It highlights fears that DeepSeek, which has ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), could be used to gather sensitive data on American users, as mentioned in a report by NBC. Representative Darin LaHood reflected on the gravity of the issue, stating, "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is not one the United States can afford to lose." He added that DeepSeek's generative AI capabilities allow it to collect vast amounts of user data, which could potentially be accessed by Chinese authorities for unidentified purposes. His concerns were echoed by Representative Josh Gottheimer, who asserted that "under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data", as quoted in a report by NBC. According to an analysis by Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of cybersecurity firm Feroot Security, DeepSeek's AI-powered chatbot app allegedly contains hidden code. This could transmit user login information to China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications giant that has already been banned from operating in the U.S. Tsarynny, whose findings were published by The Associated Press, described the situation as alarming, stating, "It's mindboggling that we are unknowingly allowing China to survey Americans, and we're doing nothing about it." He further warned that the circumstances surrounding DeepSeek's operations appeared too "unusual" to be accidental, adding, "Where there's smoke, there's fire. In this instance, there's a lot of smoke." Founded in 2023, DeepSeek gained significant attention in the U.S. tech industry last month after reports suggested that its AI models were outperforming American counterparts at a fraction of the cost. This development briefly triggered a dip in U.S. tech stocks, as investors feared that Chinese AI firms could gain a competitive edge over American companies. However, some industry experts have questioned these claims, pointing out that a full accounting of DeepSeek's development costs has not been disclosed, leaving uncertainty over whether it truly operates at a lower cost. DeepSeek is an AI software company based in China. DeepSeek is prohibited on government devices in South Korea, Australia, and Taiwan.

Lawmakers unveil measure banning DeepSeek on government devices

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers are introducing a measure this week to ban Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from government devices, arguing the app "compromises American users' sensitive data." The measure, called "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," will be introduced on Friday by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), who both serve House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood said in a statement Thursday "The national security threat that DeepSeek -- a CCP-affiliated company -- poses to the United States is alarming. DeepSeek's generative AI program acquires the data of U.S. users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP." The lawmakers pointed to a security research study published on Wednesday that found DeepSeek's website contains computer code with the potential to send user login information to China Mobile, a Chinese state-owned telecommunications company that is prohibited from operating in the United States. The study was reported by The Associated Press on Wednesday. DeepSeek is based in China, but is technically not directly connected to the CCP. In China, however, companies are required to hand over data if requested by the government, further stoking fears over privacy and national security. DeepSeek, a one-year-old startup, launched an AI model called R1 last month, which quickly drew comparisons to models offered by OpenAI or Google models. The app surged to the top of the app store shortly after its release and sent U.S. stocks plunging. Gottheimer called the app a "five alarm national security fire," in a statement Thursday. "We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek's malign activities. We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security," he said. Several lawmakers have expressed national security concerns about DeepSeek. In a letter to national security adviser Mike Waltz last week, Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) urged him to consider prohibiting the federal government from acquiring AI systems based on Chinese models, like DeepSeek. They also urged the administration to restrict the use of these models in critical infrastructure. The concerns echo the worries that surrounded TikTok, which was first banned on government devices before Congress passed a bill last year that required its China-based company ByteDance to divest from the app or face a nationwide ban. The law received wide bipartisan support and was signed by President Biden, giving ByteDance until January 19 to come to a divestiture agreement. ByteDance did not divest on time, and the app went dark for less than a day before President Trump announced plans to delay the ban and give the company more time. The Hill reached out to DeepSeek and China Mobile for further comment.

House lawmakers push to ban AI app DeepSeek from US government devices

WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan duo in the the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Darin LaHood, R-Ill., on Thursday introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," which would ban federal employees from using the Chinese AI app on government-owned electronics. They cited the Chinese government's ability to use the app for surveillance and misinformation as reasons to keep it away from federal networks. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer said in a statement. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." The proposal comes after the Chinese software company in January published an AI model that performed at a competitive level with models developed by American firms like OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet and others. DeepSeek purported to develop the model at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts. The announcement raised alarm bells and prompted debates among policymakers and leading Silicon Valley financiers and technologists. The churn over AI is coming at a moment of heightened competition between the U.S. and China in a range of areas, including technological innovation. The U.S. has levied tariffs on Chinese goods, restricted Chinese tech firms like Huawei from being used in government systems and banned the export of state of the art microchips thought to be needed to develop the highest end AI models. Last year, Congress and then-President Joe Biden approved a divestment of the popular social media platform TikTok from its Chinese parent company or face a ban across the U.S.; that policy is now on hold. President Donald Trump, who originally proposed a ban of the app in his first term, signed an executive order last month extending a window for a long term solution before the legally required ban takes effect. In 2023, Biden banned TikTok from federal-issued devices. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood said in a statement. "This commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation will ban the app from federal workers' phones while closing backdoor operations the company seeks to exploit for access. It is critical that Congress safeguard Americans' data and continue to ensure American leadership in AI." The bill would single out DeepSeek and any AI application developed by its parent company, the hedge fund High-Flyer, as subject to the ban. The legislation includes exceptions for national security and research purposes that would allow federal employers to study DeepSeek. Some lawmakers wish to go further. A bill proposed last week by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., would bar the import of export of any AI technology from China writ large, citing national security concerns.

House lawmakers push to ban AI app DeepSeek from US government devices

A bipartisan duo in the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Lawmakers Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Darin LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, on Thursday introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," which would ban federal employees from using the Chinese AI app on government-owned electronics. They cited the Chinese government's ability to use the app for surveillance and misinformation as reasons to keep it away from federal networks. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer said in a statement. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." The proposal comes after the Chinese software company in January published an AI model that performed at a competitive level with models developed by American firms like OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet and others. DeepSeek purported to develop the model at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts. The announcement raised alarm bells and prompted debates among policymakers and leading Silicon Valley financiers and technologists. The churn over AI is coming at a moment of heightened competition between the U.S. and China in a range of areas, including technological innovation. The U.S. has levied tariffs on Chinese goods, restricted Chinese tech firms like Huawei from being used in government systems, and banned the export of state of the art microchips thought to be needed to develop the highest end AI models. Last year, Congress and then-President Joe Biden approved a divestment of the popular social media platform TikTok from its Chinese parent company or face a ban across the U.S.; that policy is now on hold. President Donald Trump, who originally proposed a ban of the app in his first term, signed an executive order last month extending a window for a long-term solution before the legally required ban takes effect. In 2023, Biden banned TikTok from federal-issued devices. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood said in a statement. "This commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation will ban the app from federal workers' phones while closing backdoor operations the company seeks to exploit for access. It is critical that Congress safeguard Americans' data and continue to ensure American leadership in AI." The bill would single out DeepSeek and any AI application developed by its parent company, the hedge fund High-Flyer, as subject to the ban. The legislation includes exceptions for national security and research purposes that would allow federal employers to study DeepSeek. Some lawmakers wish to go further. A bill proposed last week by Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, would bar the import or export of any AI technology from China writ large, citing national security concerns.

US lawmakers push to quickly ban DeepSeek on government devices

Lawmakers are now pushing to immediately ban the Chinese chatbot DeepSeek on government devices, citing national security concerns that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may have built a backdoor into DeepSeek to access Americans' sensitive private data. DeepSeek shocked the world when it debuted last month. Rumored to rival OpenAI's o1 reasoning model despite costing significantly less to develop, DeepSeek's open source model is free to download. That propelled its popularity, making DeepSeek the most-downloaded app in the US. As DeepSeek was rapidly installed on an increasing number of US phones, research emerged yesterday suggesting that DeepSeek is linked to a Chinese telecom company, China Mobile. In an analysis shared with AP News, Ivan Tsarynny, the CEO of Feroot, revealed that DeepSeek apparently hid code that sends user login information to China Mobile. China Mobile, lawmakers noted, was "banned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use in the United States." "It's mindboggling that we are unknowingly allowing China to survey Americans and we're doing nothing about it," Tsarynny told AP News. Tsarynny's analysis prompted bipartisan legislation announced today from US Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.). Their bill, the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," will be introduced today to address what they consider an "alarming threat to US national security." "We have deeply disturbing evidence that they are using DeepSeek to steal the sensitive data of US citizens," Gottheimer said in the press release. "This is a five alarm national security fire," he warned, urging a probe to "get to the bottom of DeepSeek's malign activities." While the text of the bill is currently unavailable, the release suggested that Americans are already "sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with DeepSeek -- contracts, documents, and financial records." "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary," lawmakers warned. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security," Gottheimer said in the release. Because of the alleged link to China Mobile, he told The Wall Street Journal that passing the law should be a "no-brainer." Other countries have banned or partially banned DeepSeek on government devices, including Australia, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan. Several federal agencies have also quickly moved to restrict federal workers' DeepSeek use, including the US Navy and NASA. And Texas became the first state to ban DeepSeek on state-issued devices last month, along with several other Chinese apps growing in popularity in the US, like RedNote, which became a popular TikTok alternative when TikTok briefly shut down. DeepSeek is "TikTok on steroids," senator warns TikTok has been banned on government devices since 2022, and Donald Trump is currently trying to work out a deal to save the app after TikTok was briefly blocked nationwide. As national security fears around TikTok swirl, one Senator, John Curtis (R-Utah), warned yesterday that DeepSeek is "TikTok on steroids" while questioning Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick for Commerce Secretary. According to Curtis, it's unlikely that DeepSeek's development was "done cheaper and better than" models in the US, prompting Lutnick to respond, "Well, it's easy to be cheaper if you steal it" -- seemingly referencing OpenAI claims that DeepSeek used its data improperly. But while the national security concerns require a solution, Curtis said his priority is maintaining "a really productive relationship with China." He pushed Lutnick to address how he plans to hold DeepSeek -- and the CCP in general -- accountable for national security concerns amid ongoing tensions with China. Lutnick suggested that if he is confirmed (which appears likely), he will pursue a policy of "reciprocity," where China can "expect to be treated by" the US exactly how China treats the US. Currently, China is treating the US "horribly," Lutnick said, and his "first step" as Commerce Secretary will be to "repeat endlessly" that more "reciprocity" is expected from China. But while Lutnick answered Curtis' questions about DeepSeek somewhat head-on, he did not have time to respond to Curtis' inquiry about Lutnick's intentions for the US AI Safety Institute (AISI) -- which Lutnick's department would oversee and which could be essential to the US staying ahead of China in AI development. Viewing AISI as key to US global leadership in AI, Curtis offered "tools" to help Lutnick give the AISI "new legs" or a "new life" to ensure that the US remains responsibly ahead of China in the AI race. But Curtis ran out of time to press Lutnick for a response. It remains unclear how AISI's work might change under Trump, who revoked Joe Biden's AI safety rules establishing the AISI. What is clear is that lawmakers are being pressed to preserve and even evolve the AISI. Yesterday, the chief economist for a nonprofit called the Foundation for the American Innovation, Samuel Hammond, provided written testimony to the US House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, recommending that AISI be "retooled to perform voluntary audits of AI models -- both open and closed -- to certify their security and reliability" and to keep America at the forefront of AI development. "With so little separating China and America's frontier AI capabilities on a technical level, America's lead in AI is only as strong as our lead in computing infrastructure," Hammond said. And "as the founding member of a consortium of 280 similar AI institutes internationally, the AISI seal of approval would thus support the export and diffusion of American AI models worldwide."

U.S. lawmakers move to ban China's DeepSeek from government devices

A third-party analysis has found DeepSeek's chatbot app can capture login information and share it with China's largest state-owned mobile firm. A bipartisan Congressional bill is being introduced to ban China's DeepSeek artificial intelligence software from government devices. U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood, R-Ill.; and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., are introducing the legislation on national security grounds, saying the company's technology presents an espionage risk. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is not one the United States can afford to lose," Rep. LaHood said in a statement. "The national security threat that DeepSeek -- a CCP-affiliated company -- poses to the United States is alarming." He said DeepSeek's generative AI program can acquire the data of U.S. users and store the information for unidentified use by Chinese authorities. The chatbot app, however, has intentionally hidden code that could send user login information to China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications company that has been banned from operating in the U.S., according to an analysis by Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of Feroot Security, which specializes in data protection and cybersecurity. Tsarynny's analysis was published earlier by the Associated Press. "Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data." A representative for DeepSeek could not be reached for comment. The bill was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Founded in 2023, DeepSeek entered the mainstream U.S. consciousness late last month amid reports it was able to produce better results at a fraction of the cost of what American firms have so far been able to achieve. Those fears caused U.S. tech stocks to briefly tumble last week. There remains debate about the veracity of those reports, with some technologists saying there has not been a full accounting of DeepSeek's development costs. "It's mindboggling that we are unknowingly allowing China to survey Americans and we're doing nothing about it," Tsarynny told The AP. "It's hard to believe that something like this was accidental. There are so many unusual things to this. You know that saying 'Where there's smoke, there's fire'? In this instance, there's a lot of smoke," Tsarynny said.

That was fast: US lawmakers are already working on their first DeepSeek ban

Apple and Samsung aren't the world's top two smartphone vendors for once Summary Bipartisan lawmakers are pushing to ban DeepSeek from US government devices due to national security concerns. Officials fear private data from the AI is sent to a Chinese telecom with links to the Chinese Communist Party. Several federal agencies and states have already barred DeepSeek, mirroring actions taken by other countries like Australia and South Korea. DeepSeek was virtually unknown outside of China just a few short weeks ago. Then, almost overnight, it appeared on the world stage and instantly became one of the biggest threats to the dominance of US firms in the AI space. The wake it left has sent US lawmakers scrambling to give it the TikTok treatment. Related 5 essential steps Google needs to take for Gemini to rule AI Improved visuals, agentic evolution, and smart hardware needed Posts 1 A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress is pushing to ban DeepSeek from all government-owned devices (via Android Authority). Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are introducing the legislation, citing security concerns about sensitive data being sent to China. Several federal agencies, such as NASA and the US Navy, have already barred DeepSeek from their systems, while the state of Texas has its own ban. The rise and fall of DeepSeek DeepSeek gained global attention in recent weeks for its powerful AI capabilities that seemed to put American giants OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google to shame. DeepSeek is owned by a Chinese hedge fund called High Flyer. The AI's app flew to the number one spot on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Its secret was in its pricing: free. However, reports soon emerged that DeepSeek transmits user data to a Chinese company with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It's a lot like the TikTok controversy, which faces similar accusations, but there is no definitive proof of data sharing. Not so with DeepSeek. Security experts have already identified a hidden code within the AI that sends user information to China Mobile, a state-owned telecom company banned in the United States. This bill's sponsors argue that DeepSeek represents a clear national security risk. LaHood emphasized that allowing a CCP-linked company to access sensitive data is unacceptable. DeepSeek's meteoric rise is now colliding with geopolitics. Australia, South Korea, and Italy have already banned the app from government systems. This could mark the beginning of a broader effort to limit DeepSeek's presence in the country if the bill passes. Users may have to consider a different AI application .

House lawmakers push to ban AI app DeepSeek from US government devices

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A bipartisan duo in the the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Darin LaHood, R-Ill., on Thursday introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," which would ban federal employees from using the Chinese AI app on government-owned electronics. They cited the Chinese government's ability to use the app for surveillance and misinformation as reasons to keep it away from federal networks. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer said in a statement. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." The proposal comes after the Chinese software company in January published an AI model that performed at a competitive level with models developed by American firms like OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet and others. DeepSeek purported to develop the model at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts. The announcement raised alarm bells and prompted debates among policymakers and leading Silicon Valley financiers and technologists. The churn over AI is coming at a moment of heightened competition between the U.S. and China in a range of areas, including technological innovation. The U.S. has levied tariffs on Chinese goods, restricted Chinese tech firms like Huawei from being used in government systems and banned the export of state of the art microchips thought to be needed to develop the highest end AI models. Last year, Congress and then-President Joe Biden approved a divestment of the popular social media platform TikTok from its Chinese parent company or face a ban across the U.S.; that policy is now on hold. President Donald Trump, who originally proposed a ban of the app in his first term, signed an executive order last month extending a window for a long term solution before the legally required ban takes effect. In 2023, Biden banned TikTok from federal-issued devices. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood said in a statement. "This commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation will ban the app from federal workers' phones while closing backdoor operations the company seeks to exploit for access. It is critical that Congress safeguard Americans' data and continue to ensure American leadership in AI." The bill would single out DeepSeek and any AI application developed by its parent company, the hedge fund High-Flyer, as subject to the ban. The legislation includes exceptions for national security and research purposes that would allow federal employers to study DeepSeek. Some lawmakers wish to go further. A bill proposed last week by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., would bar the import of export of any AI technology from China writ large, citing national security concerns.

House Lawmakers Push to Ban AI App DeepSeek From US Government Devices

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A bipartisan duo in the the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Darin LaHood, R-Ill., on Thursday introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," which would ban federal employees from using the Chinese AI app on government-owned electronics. They cited the Chinese government's ability to use the app for surveillance and misinformation as reasons to keep it away from federal networks. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer said in a statement. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." The proposal comes after the Chinese software company in January published an AI model that performed at a competitive level with models developed by American firms like OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet and others. DeepSeek purported to develop the model at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts. The announcement raised alarm bells and prompted debates among policymakers and leading Silicon Valley financiers and technologists. The churn over AI is coming at a moment of heightened competition between the U.S. and China in a range of areas, including technological innovation. The U.S. has levied tariffs on Chinese goods, restricted Chinese tech firms like Huawei from being used in government systems and banned the export of state of the art microchips thought to be needed to develop the highest end AI models. Last year, Congress and then-President Joe Biden approved a divestment of the popular social media platform TikTok from its Chinese parent company or face a ban across the U.S.; that policy is now on hold. President Donald Trump, who originally proposed a ban of the app in his first term, signed an executive order last month extending a window for a long term solution before the legally required ban takes effect. In 2023, Biden banned TikTok from federal-issued devices. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood said in a statement. "This commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation will ban the app from federal workers' phones while closing backdoor operations the company seeks to exploit for access. It is critical that Congress safeguard Americans' data and continue to ensure American leadership in AI." The bill would single out DeepSeek and any AI application developed by its parent company, the hedge fund High-Flyer, as subject to the ban. The legislation includes exceptions for national security and research purposes that would allow federal employers to study DeepSeek. Some lawmakers wish to go further. A bill proposed last week by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., would bar the import of export of any AI technology from China writ large, citing national security concerns. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

House lawmakers push to ban AI app DeepSeek from US government devices

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A bipartisan duo in the the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Darin LaHood, R-Ill., on Thursday introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," which would ban federal employees from using the Chinese AI app on government-owned electronics. They cited the Chinese government's ability to use the app for surveillance and misinformation as reasons to keep it away from federal networks. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer said in a statement. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." The proposal comes after the Chinese software company in January published an AI model that performed at a competitive level with models developed by American firms like OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet and others. DeepSeek purported to develop the model at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts. The announcement raised alarm bells and prompted debates among policymakers and leading Silicon Valley financiers and technologists. The churn over AI is coming at a moment of heightened competition between the U.S. and China in a range of areas, including technological innovation. The U.S. has levied tariffs on Chinese goods, restricted Chinese tech firms like Huawei from being used in government systems and banned the export of state of the art microchips thought to be needed to develop the highest end AI models. Last year, Congress and then-President Joe Biden approved a divestment of the popular social media platform TikTok from its Chinese parent company or face a ban across the U.S.; that policy is now on hold. President Donald Trump, who originally proposed a ban of the app in his first term, signed an executive order last month extending a window for a long term solution before the legally required ban takes effect. In 2023, Biden banned TikTok from federal-issued devices. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood said in a statement. "This commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation will ban the app from federal workers' phones while closing backdoor operations the company seeks to exploit for access. It is critical that Congress safeguard Americans' data and continue to ensure American leadership in AI." The bill would single out DeepSeek and any AI application developed by its parent company, the hedge fund High-Flyer, as subject to the ban. The legislation includes exceptions for national security and research purposes that would allow federal employers to study DeepSeek. Some lawmakers wish to go further. A bill proposed last week by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., would bar the import of export of any AI technology from China writ large, citing national security concerns.

US lawmakers introduce bill to ban DeepSeek on federal devices - SiliconANGLE

US lawmakers introduce bill to ban DeepSeek on federal devices U.S. lawmakers today introduced a bill that would prohibit federal employees from using DeepSeek's app on government devices. The proposed legislation is known as the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act. According to Ars Technica, it would ban DeepSeek within 60 days of going into effect. The bill was written by U.S. representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood following revelations that DeepSeek's app is linked to a Chinese state-owned internet provider. DeepSeek is the Chinese artificial intelligence lab behind R1, an advanced large language model that debuted last month. The LLM has drawn significant interest because it can outperform OpenAI's o1 reasoning model across several tasks. Moreover, DeepSeek claims that it trained the model using only $5.6 million worth of graphics card hours. The AI developer has released a free app that provides access to DeepSeek-V3, a predecessor of R1. Both models have a mixture-of-experts design with 671 billion parameters. However, R1 was developed through an enhanced training workflow that makes it better at tasks such as solving math problems. Last month, DeepSeek overtook ChatGPT as the most downloaded free mobile app in the U.S. The company also offers a web version of its app. The latter service was recently the focus of a high-profile cybersecurity investigation, which is what led to today's legislative proposal. Earlier this week, Canadian cybersecurity company Feroot Security revealed that the web version of DeepSeek's app contains a "heavily obfuscated" script. This means the script was written in a way that makes it difficult for researchers to understand how it works. Feroot determined that the code connects to the infrastructure of China Telecom, a Chinese state-owned telecommunications company that is banned from operating in the U.S. The script in question is embedded in DeepSeek's login page. The code is believed to be connected to authentication and identity management systems operated by China Telecom. After users sign in, the code collects detailed technical data about their devices through a process known as fingerprinting. During its analysis, Feroot Security did not detect attempts by the app to send user data to China Telecom systems. However, some cybersecurity researchers believe it's likely that such data transmission is taking place. DeepSeek was already facing scrutiny before today's legislative proposal. In recent weeks, the U.S. Navy and NASA have banned employees from using the app. DeepSeek is likewise banned on Texas state government devices.

DeepSeek Faces Ban on US Government Devices | PYMNTS.com

The bill, written by Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), is being driven by the type of national security concerns that led Congress to ban China-owned TikTok last year, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Thursday (Feb. 6) "This should be a no-brainer in terms of actions we should take immediately to prevent our enemy from getting information from our government," Gottheimer said. DeepSeek, also based in China, rocked the artificial intelligence (AI) world last month with the release of an AI model it said can perform as well as its U.S.-built counterparts at a fraction of the cost. As the WSJ notes, its chatbot is now the most downloaded app in America. And because it is an open-source model, it has been widely embraced by consumers, businesses and developers. However, the app has intentionally hidden code that could transmit user login information to China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications company barred from operating in the U.S., according to an analysis by Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of data protection/cybersecurity company Feroot Security. "Our personal information is being sent to China, there is no denial, and the DeepSeek tool is collecting everything that American users connect to it," Tsarynny told the WSJ. His analysis drove LaHood and Gottheimer to draft their bill, set to be introduced Thursday. The lawmakers are the top Republican and Democrat on a subcommittee of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, the report added. "Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data," said LaHood, in reference to the Chinese Communist Party. Other countries have already banned DeepSeek on government devices, including Australia, Italy and Taiwan. The company is also under investigation in France, South Korea, Ireland and Belgium. Texas introduced a ban on use of the chatbot on government devices late last month. Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote earlier this week about what the rise of DeepSeek could mean in the B2B space, noting that smaller, more specialized AI models could gain ground in B2B applications, even if they aren't challenging companies like Google or OpenAI. "For most business users, having the absolute best model is less important than having one that's reliable and good enough," that report said. "Not every driver needs a Ferrari."

Like TikTok, lawmakers want to ban DeepSeek from government devices

A bipartisan duo in the the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Darin LaHood, R-Ill., on Thursday introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," which would ban federal employees from using the Chinese AI app on government-owned electronics. They cited the Chinese government's ability to use the app for surveillance and misinformation as reasons to keep it away from federal networks. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer said in a statement. "We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." The proposal comes after the Chinese software company in December published an AI model that performed at a competitive level with models developed by American firms like OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet and others. DeepSeek purported to develop the model at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts. A January research paper about DeepSeek's capabilities raised alarm bells and prompted debates among policymakers and leading Silicon Valley financiers and technologists.

Lawmakers want to ban DeepSeek from government devices: 'This should be a no-brainer'

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, told ABC News that a ban is in order. "I think we should ban DeepSeek from all government devices immediately," said Gottheimer, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee. "No one should be allowed to download it onto their device." Gottheimer is co-author of a bipartisan bill to ban DeepSeek from government devices, which will be introduced Thursday. "This should be a no-brainer in terms of actions we should take immediately to prevent our enemy from getting information from our government," Gottheimer told The Wall Street Journal. A move by the U.S. would follow a similar action by Australia this week to ban DeepSeek from government devices, networks, and computers. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement Tuesday that all DeepSeek products, applications, and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds, effective immediately. "AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk," Burke said. U.S. lawmakers have expressed similar concerns about technology originating in China. TikTok has been on the verge of a ban in the U.S., with Chinese-made TP-Link routers also causing security concerns. Security experts laud such a move. "Consumers utilizing DeepSeek should have significant concerns regarding data sovereignty," said Wes Green, a senior vice president at the AI training firm Invisible Technologies. "The DeepSeek model represents a far more serious foundational risk to Security and IP than even those surrounding TikTok's manipulation of content for the West."

Lawmakers propose new legislation to ban DeepSeek from federal devices

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) is demanding swift action after ABC News' exclusive reporting about hidden links in DeepSeek's artificial intelligence tool that could potentially send data to a Chinese state-owned telecommunications company. "I think we should ban DeepSeek from all government devices immediately. No one should be allowed to download it onto their device," Gottheimer, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC News. A new bill Gottheimer proposed on Thursday is called the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act" and it would require the Office of Management and Budget to develop guidelines within 60 days for the removal of DeepSeek from federal technologies, with exceptions for law enforcement and national security-related activity. The bill would ban DeepSeek from federal devices as well as any future product developed by High-Flyer, the artificial intelligent tool's hedge fund backers. This comes after the U.S. House of Representatives chief administrative officer issued a memo urging staffers against using DeepSeek last week. Gottheimer is one of the lawmakers behind the TikTok bill, which passed in April 2024 and led to a 24-hour blackout for the app's American users the day before President Donald Trump's second inauguration. There are fears DeepSeek could pose a risk to national security after Ivan Tsarynny, CEO and founder of cybersecurity research firm Feroot, told ABC News he found hidden code with the capability to send data to servers under the control of the Chinese government. "Even though we all know DeepSeek is a Chinese organization, what is really, really standing out is now we see direct links to servers and to companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government. And this is something that we have never seen in the past." "There are technologies that are embedded into the DeepSeek website that are tracking us. They have the capability to track across any other website... your interests outside of DeepSeek," Tsarynny told ABC News. "The type of queries, type of questions, types of topics that you ask and analyze in DeepSeek makes a very, very sensitive, very personal profile." DeepSake and High-Flyer have not responded to repeated requests for comment.

Australia Bans DeepSeek From Government Devices

Australia has banned Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek from its government systems and devices, citing data-security concerns. The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs issued a statement Tuesday that requires all government entities to prevent the access, use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and web services on Australian government systems and mobile devices. Government entities were also directed to remove existing use of the app. "The use of DeepSeek products, applications and web services poses an unacceptable level of security risk to the Australian government," said Stephanie Foster, secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, in the statement. DeepSeek is a Hangzhou-based startup owned by a Chinese hedge fund. Australia isn't the first country to ban DeepSeek after the Chinese artificial intelligence app's sudden shot to fame in January, with its low-cost AI models rivaling American ones using less-advanced Nvidia chips. Italy's data protection authority issued a nationwide ban of DeepSeek in late January. Although the U.S. hasn't formally banned DeepSeek, some federal agencies like the U.S. Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have blocked the app due to security and privacy concerns. Texas was the first U.S. state to ban DeepSeek on government devices, citing national-security concerns. A bill proposed last week by Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) sought to bar Americans and U.S. companies from importing or exporting Chinese advancing AI technology, though it didn't mention DeepSeek by name. President Trump has characterized DeepSeek's sudden rise a "wake-up call" for the U.S. tech industry.

Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Ban Chinese AI Software from US Government Devices | PYMNTS.com

A new bipartisan bill aimed at banning China's DeepSeek artificial intelligence (AI) software from government devices is being introduced in Congress, citing concerns over national security risks. According to CNBC, US Representatives Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) are spearheading the effort, arguing that DeepSeek's technology poses a significant espionage threat. Per US CNBC, LaHood emphasized the urgency of the issue, warning about the potential risks of Chinese-controlled AI technology in the U.S. market. "The technology race with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is not one the United States can afford to lose," LaHood stated, stressing that DeepSeek's generative AI system could collect and store user data for unknown purposes by Chinese authorities. DeepSeek, which was founded in 2023, gained widespread attention in the U.S. last month for reportedly delivering superior AI capabilities at a fraction of the cost of American competitors. These developments briefly led to a decline in U.S. tech stocks, reflecting concerns about China's advancements in artificial intelligence. However, as CNBC reports, some industry experts remain skeptical, arguing that the true cost of DeepSeek's development has yet to be fully analyzed. Concerns over the AI firm's operations intensified following an analysis by Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of Feroot Security, a company specializing in data protection and cybersecurity. His findings, first published by The Associated Press, indicated that DeepSeek's chatbot application contained hidden code capable of transmitting user login information to China Mobile, a state-owned telecom company that is currently banned from operating in the U.S. Related: The AI Agent Revolution in Crypto: Looming Risks and Regulatory Opportunities Gottheimer reinforced the security concerns, stating, "Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data." As reported by The Wall Street Journal, DeepSeek did not respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations. Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts, including Tsarynny, have warned about the potential surveillance risks associated with the AI company. "It's mindboggling that we are unknowingly allowing China to survey Americans and we're doing nothing about it," Tsarynny told the AP. "It's hard to believe that something like this was accidental." The legislation underscores growing tensions between the U.S. and China in the tech sector, particularly concerning artificial intelligence and data security. If passed, the bill would prevent DeepSeek's software from being used on government devices, aligning with broader efforts to curb foreign technology that could compromise national security.

Australia joins Italy and bans DeepSeek from government devices

Australia has banned the Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek from all government devices due to security concerns, as announced by the government on Tuesday. The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs issued a mandatory directive for all government entities to "prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and web services" and to remove any existing instances from Australian government systems. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasized that DeepSeek posed an "unacceptable risk" to government technology, stating that the ban aims to protect Australia's national security and national interest. This action does not apply to private citizen devices. The ban follows a significant global reaction after DeepSeek launched a chatbot that matched the performance of US rivals but at a fraction of the cost, which subsequently led to a plunge in tech stocks worldwide. This reaction raised concerns over investments in chipmakers and data centers in the West. Australia's decision comes after similar bans were implemented in Italy and Taiwan, with additional investigations into DeepSeek occurring in various countries across Europe and Asia. The first stone: Italy blocks DeepSeek over data privacy concerns Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government had previously banned the Chinese social media app TikTok from government devices two years ago over similar security concerns. On January launch, DeepSeek quickly became the most downloaded free app in the UK and US, leading to comments from former President Donald Trump, who referred to it as a "wake up call" for the US, suggesting it could lower AI costs. Despite the initial interest in DeepSeek, subsequent scrutiny has led to increased caution regarding its data and privacy policies. An Australian science minister noted the need for careful consideration of DeepSeek because of potential data privacy issues. The chatbot was removed from app stores in Italy after its privacy policy was questioned, echoing earlier actions taken against ChatGPT over privacy concerns. Regulatory bodies in South Korea, Ireland, and France have initiated investigations into DeepSeek's user data handling, particularly concerning data stored on servers in China. The US administration has stated that it is evaluating the security implications of DeepSeek, and reports suggest that the US Navy has prohibited its members from using the application, although this has not yet been confirmed. DeepSeek, like other AI tools, analyzes user prompts to improve its products, prompting warnings from security experts about the risks associated with entering sensitive information into such platforms. The company has faced allegations of unfairly leveraging US technology, with OpenAI raising concerns that rivals, including those in China, are leveraging its work for rapid advancements.

Chinese AI DeepSeek banned from Australian government devices on national security grounds

The Australian government has made the decision to ban DeepSeek from all of its systems and devices on national security grounds. The mandatory direction from the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, delivered under the Protective Security Policy Framework has come into effect immediately. It requires all non-corporate Commonwealth entities ordered to "identify and remove all existing instances of DeepSeek products, applications and services on all Australian government systems and mobile devices". The entities also have to "prevent the access, use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and services on all Australian government systems and mobile devices" and inform the Department of Home Affairs when both requirements have been completed. "The Albanese Government is taking swift and decisive action to protect Australia's national security and national interest," Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement. "AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity - but the Government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk. "Our approach is country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian Government and our assets." The move follows a similar ban imposed in 2023 when the government prevented TikTok from being used on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies. It also comes days after Italy's data protection authority ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country. Data regulators in other European countries are also probing the company's privacy policy while the United States expressed concern over the technology last week. Donald Trump warned DeepSeek was a "wake up call" for the US, with Texas becoming the first state to ban the chatbot on government-issued devices. While the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs' mandatory direction applies to all government systems and devices, the federal government advised all Australians to remain wary about where their data is shared and to ensure their privacy is protected. "The Government is urging all Australians to ensure they are well informed about how their data can be used online and the steps they can take to understand their online presence and protect their privacy," the government's statement read. "The Government encourages all users to carefully review each company's privacy policies which outline how customer data is managed." A SkyNews.com.au special report tested the new system DeepSeek and discovered the AI malfunctioned when asked about Uyghur Muslims and still thinks journalist Cheng Lei is languishing in Chinese detention. The new player rocked global markets on Monday (US Time) when it emerged as a serious challenger to US AI companies that use highly powerful chips from manufacturer Nvidia. DeepSeek claimed to have created its new AI model for less than US$6m, which is a tiny amount compared to the billions poured into US equivalents. A point of widespread concern about the new player was the responses it gave to questions about issues deemed controversial in China. When SkyNews.com.au asked if Taiwan is independent from China, DeepSeek stressed the Chinese government's One-China principle and even called Taiwanese independence a "serious challenge to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity". "We firmly believe that under the grand cause of peaceful reunification, cross-strait relations will continue to move forward, and the well-being of our Taiwanese compatriots will be better safeguarded," it said. "Any discourse on Taiwan's independence is a serious challenge to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it will not be recognized by the international community." DeepSeek operated in a strange manor when questioned about Uyghur Muslims, who China has been accused of committing human rights abuses against. "Who are the Uyghurs and what can you tell me about those who live in China?" SkyNews.com.au asked DeepSeek. The AI provided SkyNews.com.au a brief answer covering the ethnic groups' history, culture and the controversies surrounding the Chinese government's treatment of them before scrapping the answer and asking the user to discuss a different topic. "Sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else," DeepSeek said. It responds similarly when asked about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

US senator wants to fine and jail those who use DeepSeek

The Chinese AI chatbot "DeepSeek" has caused a lot of controversy in recent weeks. Although DeepSeek was launched in 2023, it became popular after the introduction of the "R1" model, which performs just as well as its competitors while using fewer resources. However, the Chinese AI may soon be banned in the US - with fines and imprisonment for those who use it. At least that's what Republican Senator Josh Hawley wants with a new bill filled this week. According to the bill, the idea is to "prohibit United States persons from advancing artificial intelligence capabilities within the People's Republic of China, and for other persons." As reported by The Independent, the proposed law stipulates that anyone violating the restrictions will face fines of up to $1 million and up to 20 years in prison. For businesses caught using Chinese AIs, the fines could reach $100 million. The senator doesn't directly mention DeepSeek in his bill, but coincidentally it comes just a few days after the chatbot reached the top of the US App Store. The main argument for banning Chinese AIs would be concerns about "security, privacy, and ethics." Some also don't like the fact that DeepSeek doesn't answer questions on topics related to the Chinese Communist Party. Italy was the first country to ban DeepSeek for privacy reasons, while other countries may soon follow. In the US, Texas has already banned DeepSeek from government devices. President Donald Trump recently said that the Chinese chatbot is a "wake-up call" for the national tech industry and has reportedly been investigating its impacts on national security. After DeepSeek's huge success, the stock price of tech companies like Nvidia plummeted. Even so, there's no denying the chatbot's impressive performance. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said that "innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing" when asked about Chinese AI.

DeepSeek's rise raises data privacy, national security concerns

The emergence of a newly popular artificial intelligence (AI) model from Chinese startup DeepSeek is raising national security and data privacy concerns for the U.S., not unlike those that spurred a ban on TikTok last month. While the Chinese AI model's rise has investors worried about the necessity of American AI companies' massive infrastructure spending, it has experts concerned for other reasons -- namely the potential ability for the Chinese government to access and manipulate the platform's data. "The privacy policy explicitly says that it collects information and secures it on servers in China. Any data that you're putting into DeepSeek, that is through the app or through a DeepSeek model available on the internet, that is collected and goes to China," said Oliver Roberts, co-head of the AI Practice Group at law firm Holtzman Vogel. DeepSeek exploded onto the scene last month with its R1 model, quickly rising to the top of Apple's App Store and overtaking OpenAI's ChatGPT. The model's rapidly growing popularity, along with the Chinese AI startup's impressive claims about its development, sent investors into a panic about American-made AI, sparking a mass sell-off in the tech sector. DeepSeek claims to have built the R1 model using just a few thousand reduced-capacity chips from Nvidia, for a measly overall cost of $5.6 million. This contradicted the assumption of American firms that massive investment in AI infrastructure is necessary to advance the technology. Microsoft plans to invest $80 billion in data centers throughout 2025, while Meta will nearly double its spending on capital expenditures this year to between $60 billion and $65 billion. OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank have also taken the lead on the Trump administration's new Stargate project that plans to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the next four years. Even as worries abound about what DeepSeek means for American-made AI, other concerns are arising from the Chinese startup's privacy policies. DeepSeek automatically collects data on IP addresses, key stroke patterns and cookies, which is stored on "secure servers located in the People's Republic of China." This raises the prospect that U.S. user data could end up in the hands of the Chinese government, which can legally compel Chinese companies to turn over data, not unlike U.S. law enforcement. This data could then be used to profile Americans or manipulate algorithms to target propaganda, Roberts suggested. He cautioned that businesses using DeepSeek could risk opening up their trade secrets to China, which has a poor track record on intellectual property protections. DeepSeek also currently lacks numerous privacy controls that exist in most other AI models, noted Rob Lee, chief of research and head of staff at SANS Institute, a cybersecurity firm. "Unlike OpenAI -- which, while imperfect, has a stronger commitment to privacy and anonymization -- DeepSeek collects and indefinitely stores massive amounts of user data in China, without clear anonymization measures," Lee said in a statement. "That's a significant risk, not just from a security standpoint, but in terms of potential data misuse, regulatory concerns, and overall trust in AI systems," he added. The Hill has reached out to DeepSeek for comment. Some companies have sought to take advantage of the open-source nature of DeepSeek's models to alleviate these concerns. Perplexity AI has made DeepSeek's R1 available but is hosting the model "exclusively in US & EU data centers" so that "your data never leaves Western servers." "I think it's really important to distinguish between the DeepSeek products, which is their app, website and their API, and then the open-source model weights," Dmitry Shevelenko, Perplexity's chief business officer, told The Hill. "The product is very dangerous and scary because they are not only sending all your prompts and questions to China, they're doing scary tracking of your activity on your device as well that they can get access to," he continued. "The flip side is the model weights, which are open source," Shevelenko added. "We were able to take those and put them ourselves in a U.S. data center and quickly make that available in Perplexity as one of the models." The national security and data privacy concerns emerging around DeepSeek echo the worries that surrounded TikTok and ultimately led Congress to pass a law requiring its China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban. The law received wide bipartisan support amid concerns the Chinese government could access U.S. user data and potentially manipulate the content they see on the popular video-sharing platform. More than 170 million Americans use the app, according to TikTok. The ban was set to go into effect Jan. 19. However, it is currently on hold after President Trump barred enforcement for 75 days amid efforts to reach a deal to keep the app available in the U.S. Several lawmakers have already voiced concerns to the new Trump administration about DeepSeek. In a letter to national security adviser Mike Waltz last week, Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) urged him to consider prohibiting the federal government from acquiring AI systems based on Chinese models, like DeepSeek. They also asked the administration to restrict the use of these models in critical infrastructure. Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi are the top lawmakers on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). "[I]t is clear we are at an inflection point in the AI market where PRC AI systems are increasingly available for use in the United States," they wrote, using an abbreviation for People's Republic of China (PRC). "It is imperative that we do not allow PRC AI systems to gain significant market share in the United States, while acquiring the data of U.S. users that only further enable the capabilities of the AI system." Amid speculation that DeepSeek managed to circumvent U.S. export controls to obtain more advanced chips, the lawmakers also called on Waltz to consider new restrictions on chip sales. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) similarly wrote to Howard Lutnick, Trump's nominee to lead the Commerce Department, on Monday to urge him to close a "loophole" in the export control regime. "With last week's release of DeepSeek's R1, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) model that rivals leading U.S. models, we must confront the reality that the PRC challenge to our technological leadership is real, and missteps could seriously undercut our economic and national security," they said. The U.S. developed an increasingly strict export control regime under the Biden administration in an effort to stymie China's ability to develop artificial intelligence. DeepSeek's rise raises questions about the effectiveness of these controls and the state of the broader tech war between Washington and Beijing. "If they have the ability to create models at the same level of complexity as ChatGPT and OpenAI's products 4.0 as well as o1, then that could put China on pace with the U.S. in terms of AI development, which has broader issues of China's potential ability to create more advanced military equipment, weapons of mass destruction at a level we haven't seen," Roberts added. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) banned state officials from using Chinese-owned technology, like DeepSeek, on government-issued devices Friday, saying it "will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps."

DeepSeek: The countries and agencies that have banned the AI company's tech | TechCrunch

DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company, is raising the ire of regulators around the world. DeepSeek's viral AI models and chatbot apps have been banned by a growing number of countries and government bodies, which have expressed concerns over DeepSeek's ethics, privacy, and security practices. Corporations have banned DeepSeek, too -- by the hundreds. The biggest worry reportedly is potential data leakage to the Chinese government. According to DeepSeek's privacy policy, the company stores all user data in China, where local laws mandate organizations to share data with intelligence officials upon request. As the list of regions where DeepSeek's apps are no longer available grows, we'll continue updating this roundup. Also included: the public sector departments that have prohibited DeepSeek tech. Italy became one of the first countries to ban DeepSeek following an investigation by the country's privacy watchdog into DeepSeek's handling of personal data. In late January, Italy's Data Protection Authority (DPA) launched an investigation into DeepSeek's data collection practices and compliance with the GDPR, the EU law that governs how personal data is retained and processed in EU territories. The DPA gave DeepSeek 20 days to respond to questions about how and where the company stores user data and what it uses this data for. DeepSeek claimed its apps didn't call under the jurisdiction of EU law. Italy's DPA disagreed and took steps to remove DeepSeek's apps from the Apple and Google app stores in Italy. Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said that DeepSeek "endangers national information security" and has banned government agencies from using the company's AI. In a statement, the Taiwan ministry said that public sector workers and critical infrastructure facilities run the risk of "cross-border transmission and information leakage" by using DeepSeek's technology. The Taiwanese government's ban applies to employees of government agencies as well as public schools and state-owned enterprises. "DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product," the Ministry of Digital Affairs' statement reads. "Its operation involves [several] information security concerns." U.S. Congressional offices have reportedly been warned not to use DeepSeek tech. The House's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), which provides support services and business solutions to the House of Representatives, sent a notice to congressional offices indicating that DeepSeek's technology is "under review," Axios reported. "[T]hreat actors are already exploiting DeepSeek to deliver malicious software and infect devices," the notice said. "To mitigate these risks, the House has taken security measures to restrict DeepSeek's functionality on all House-issued devices." According to Axios, the CAO has prohibited staffers from installing DeepSeek applications on any official smartphones, computers, or tablets. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order banning software from DeepSeek and other Chinese companies from government-issued devices in the state. In a statement, Abbott said that Texas "will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors." The U.S. Navy has instructed its members not to use DeepSeek apps or technology, according to CNBC. In late January, the Navy sent an email prohibiting service members from using DeepSeek products "in any capacity" due to "potential security and ethical concerns associated with the [tech's] origin[s] and usage." A Navy spokesperson told CNBC the email was in reference to the Department of the Navy's Chief Information Officer's generative AI policy and based on an advisory from the Navy's cyber workforce manager. In the email, the Navy said it's "imperative" that members don't use DeepSeek's AI "for any work-related tasks or personal use," and "refrain from downloading, installing, or using [DeepSeek AI]." The Pentagon has blocked access to DeepSeek technologies, but not before some staff accessed them, Bloomberg reported. The Defense Information Systems Agency, which is responsible for the Pentagon's IT networks, moved to ban DeepSeek's website in January, according to Bloomberg. The decision is said to have come after defense officials raised concerns that Pentagon workers were using DeepSeek's applications without authorization. Bloomberg notes that while the prohibition remains in place, Defense Department personnel can use DeepSeek's AI through Ask Sage, an authorized platform that doesn't directly connect to Chinese servers. NASA has also banned employees from using DeepSeek tech. That's according to CNBC, which obtained a memo from the agency's chief AI officer informing personnel that DeepSeek's servers operate outside the U.S., raising national security concerns. "DeepSeek and its products and services are not authorized for use with NASA's data and information or on government-issued devices and networks," the memo said, per CNBC. "[Employees are not authorized to] access DeepSeek via NASA devices and agency-managed network connections." NASA has blocked use of DeepSeek apps on "agency-managed devices and networks," CNBC reports.

Australian government bans DeepSeek due to national security risks

TL;DR: Australia bans DeepSeek from federal devices over national security concerns, joining a global crackdown on the Chinese AI tool as governments react to its rising influence and potential risks. The Australian government has just issued a ban on DeepSeek from all federal devices, citing national security concerns as the decisive factor. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke commented: "The Albanese government is taking swift and decisive action to protect Australia's national security and national interest," Burke insists that the decision was not influenced by the app's location in China. Instead, emphasizing its risk to government and assets. "AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity - but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk." Tony Burke, Australian Home Affairs Minister (Credit: Mike Bowers, The Guardian) Australia follows a myriad of countries that have introduced policies to limit security risks posed by the Chinese AI tool. Italy became the first country to ban DeepSeek as of January 30th, issuing a nationwide ban that includes national residents. Meanwhile, Taiwan and the United States have been active in introducing ban policies across various agencies and branches of government. Countries such as South Korea and France are currently pending investigations but are expected to follow suit. Credit: Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images Australia previously issued a federal ban on Tiktok, and recently passed a law to ban users under 16 from accessing Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. Threats to national security were the driving factor for the former, while the latter was influenced by a mixture of national security and social concerns among the youth demographic. The DeepSeek ban aligns with global trends as governments scramble to respond to security concerns posed by the chatbot. Financially, the market continues to experience turbulence, with NVIDIA stocks struggling to recover from the staggering single-day loss on Thursday. Only two weeks have passed since DeepSeek released the R1 model, and its effects on markets and governments are expected to continue. Neither China nor DeepSake has issued any comments in response to the ban.

Albanese government bans DeepSeek from official devices on security grounds

The Albanese government is banning DeepSeek - the Chinese artificial intelligence model - from all government systems and devices on national security grounds. It says this is in line with the actions of a number of other countries and is based on "risk and threat information" from security and intelligence agencies. The Chinese platform TikTok is already banned from government systems and devices. Under the decision, announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, government bodies must immediately remove all DeepSeek products, applications and services from systems and mobile devices. No new installations are allowed. But politicians can still have DeepSeek on their personal non-government devices. This presently happens with TikTok - for example opposition leader Peter Dutton has a TikTok account. While the direction only applies to official systems and devices, the government is also urging all Australians to inform themselves about how their data can be used online and to carefully review a company's privacy policy on how customer data is managed. Burke said: "The Albanese government is taking swift and decisive action to protect Australia's national security and national interest. "AI is is a technology full of potential and opportunity, but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk. "Our approach is country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian government and our assets.' The NSW Department of Customer Service acted late last month to ban DeepSeek from official devices and systems. The department told Cyber Daily it had "taken a precautionary approach to restrict corporate access to DeepSeek AI, consistent with the approach taken for many new and emerging applications, systems and services". Commenting on the NSW department's decision Dana Mckay, Senior Lecturer in Innovative Interactive Technologies at RMIT, said: "The reason Chinese-made and-owned tools are being banned is that the data they collect is available to the Chinese government not just when a crime has been committed, but also for economic or social reasons. "DeepSeek even collects keystroke patterns, which can be used to identify individuals, potentially allowing them to match in-work searches with leisure time searches, potentially leading to national security risks," she said. "It is fair to ask whether DeepSeek is more dangerous to Australian national security than, say, OpenAI which collects similar data: the difference is that OpenAI will only give data to government to comply with relevant laws, and this typically means where a crime may have been committed. "Whether governments should be concerned about the level of data collected by commercial companies, such as OpenAI and Google, is still a significant question, but one that is separate to the national security concerns raised by China's data sovereignty laws." Among those banning Deepseek are the Pentagon, the United States Navy, NASA, Italy and Taiwan.

US AI import ban would reach farther than DeepSeek, but it's a longshot

On Jan. 29, US Republican Senator and noted China hawk Josh Hawley introduced the Decoupling America's Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act, which, while not mentioning it by name, would effectively ban AI software firm DeepSeek if put into practice. Citing concerns over intellectual property, the bill would ban any and all US nationals and firms working within the country from conducting research and development with China-based entities or persons. Violations would carry a fine of $1 million for individuals and $100 million for companies, and violators would be forced to forfeit any "license, contract, subcontract, grant, or public benefit awarded by any Federal agency." The bill would also ban the import or export of AI tech to or from China, which would serve as an effective ban on DeepSeek. Arriving amid increasing tensions between the United States and China after US President Donald Trump levied 10% additional tariffs on Chinese goods, critics say Sen. Hawley's proposal would kill open AI development and competitiveness -- but it could just be saber-rattling. For show? Hawley's AI import ban takes aim at China Tensions between the US and China are at a record high as Trump and the Republicans have promised to take action over what they've called unfair trade practices on the part of the Chinese government and companies located in the country. Of particular concern are the reported abilities of China to influence public opinion, exploit favorable trade conditions and gain access to American intellectual property. Sen. Hawley has been fairly hawkish toward China on all these points. Last year, he introduced a bill that would put tariffs on electronic vehicles produced in China. He also participated in the public hearings featuring TikTok CEO Shou Chew ahead of the US ban on the social media app, wherein he claimed TikTok put American's identity and usage data in the hands of a "foreign, hostile government." Then there's his most recent bill -- submitted just a week after DeepSeek's debut sent tech stocks and crypto spiraling -- which cites concerns about Chinese firms exploiting AI technologies developed in America for their own benefit. Related: Here's why DeepSeek crashed your Bitcoin and crypto But while it's clear Hawley is no friend of China, observers doubt whether his most recent proposed legislation has a chance in Congress. According to Aaron Brogan, a lawyer focused on cryptocurrency and emerging technology regulation, "Some senators pride themselves on being able to react promptly to current events. Senator Hawley is definitely one of those." "The large, large majority of being a senator or congressperson is generating publicity and posturing." Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a "historically narrow majority" in the House of Representatives, noted Brogan. This means any legislation that doesn't have broad bipartisan support is likely "dead on arrival." The bill also has no co-sponsors who could help expedite the process. Technical problems with the bill Partisanship and Congressional procedure aside, there are other concerns about the bill's contents. Ben Brooks, a fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center For Internet & Society, noted its scope is incredibly broad. According to Brooks, Sen. Hawley's bill makes "no distinction based on risk" and contains no thresholds on capability, nor does it direct any agency to determine those thresholds. Furthermore, it makes no exceptions for open-source technology. "Everything touching AI is swept into scope." While this could mean the end of open-source AI in the United States, China hawks in the US government may view that as an acceptable sacrifice to decouple the US and Chinese economies. According to Brogan, hawks may wish to expedite this "uncoupling" sooner rather than later: "If the war in Taiwan comes before our economies are decoupled, it will be incredibly painful economically, and China (as a resource exporter) may be able to bottleneck certain crucial mineral inputs from the US military." But for Brooks, this isn't just about the US and China. He said it would "do untold damage to the little guy" and would require a massive expansion of police powers to enforce, all the way to increasing global reliance on Chinese technology. "Decoupling from China? More likely: decoupling the rest of the world from the US." Indeed, the bill's possible ramifications for the economy and American technology are what make it all the more unlikely to pass, per Brogan. "It would be very expensive and disruptive to industry," he said. "And some industry, like Tesla, for example, is both highly interconnected with China and quite influential at the moment." DeepSeek sparks privacy, data security concerns worldwide While Sen. Hawley's bill may die in committee, the US and other countries across the globe are still introducing measures to protect against the perceived threat of China's AI capabilities. On Feb. 6, lawmakers in Washington are expected to introduce a bill that would ban DeepSeek from US government devices. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has already issued a similar ban for state employees, saying, "Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps." Related: DeepSeek privacy concerns raise international alarm bells According to CNBC, the US Navy has already banned the app for personal or professional use over "potential security and ethical concerns associated with the model's origin and usage." Elsewhere in the world, Italy has issued an outright ban on DeepSeek, while in Taiwan and Australia, government agencies have been directed not to use DeepSeek over privacy and data harvesting concerns. Investigations into DeepSeek's data practices are also underway in Ireland, France, India, South Korea and Belgium. Chinese AI firms may not get the full, sweeping ban that hawks would like, but it seems clear that limitations of some sort are inevitable. Cointelegraph reached out to Hawley for comment but did not receive a response by publishing time.

Australia Bans DeepSeek on Government Devices Citing Security Concerns

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia has banned DeepSeek from all government devices over concerns that the Chinese artificial intelligence startup poses security risks, the government said on Tuesday. The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs issued a mandatory direction for all government entities to "prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and web services and where found remove all existing instances of DeepSeek products, applications and web services from all Australian Government systems and devices," the statement said. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said DeepSeek posed an "unacceptable risk" to government technology and the immediate ban was "to protect Australia's national security and national interest," several Australian media outlets reported on Tuesday evening. The ban does not extend to devices of private citizens. Tech stocks worldwide plunged after the launch of DeepSeek last month - apparently costing a fraction of rival AI models and requiring less sophisticated chips - raised questions over the West's huge investments in chipmakers and data centres. Australia's decision to ban Deepseek follows similar action in Italy, while other countries in Europe and elsewhere are also looking into the AI firm. Taiwan banned government departments from using DeepSeek earlier this week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese' government imposed a government-wide ban on Chinese social media app TikTok two years ago over security concerns. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Australia Bans DeepSeek on Government Devices Citing Security Concerns

The Home Affairs Minister said Deepseek poses an unacceptable risk Australia has banned DeepSeek from all government devices over concerns that the Chinese artificial intelligence startup poses security risks, the government said on Tuesday. The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs issued a mandatory direction for all government entities to "prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and web services and where found remove all existing instances of DeepSeek products, applications and web services from all Australian Government systems and devices," the statement said. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said DeepSeek posed an "unacceptable risk" to government technology and the immediate ban was "to protect Australia's national security and national interest," several Australian media outlets reported on Tuesday evening. The ban does not extend to devices of private citizens. Tech stocks worldwide plunged after the launch of DeepSeek last month - apparently costing a fraction of rival AI models and requiring less sophisticated chips - raised questions over the West's huge investments in chipmakers and data centres. Australia's decision to ban Deepseek follows similar action in Italy, while other countries in Europe and elsewhere are also looking into the AI firm. Taiwan banned government departments from using DeepSeek earlier this week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese' government imposed a government-wide ban on Chinese social media app TikTok two years ago over security concerns. © Thomson Reuters 2025

Australia bans DeepSeek AI program on govt devices

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia has banned DeepSeek from all government devices on the advice of security agencies, a top official said Wednesday, citing privacy and malware risks posed by China's breakout AI program. The DeepSeek chatbot -- developed by a China-based startup -- has astounded industry insiders and upended financial markets since it was released last month. But a growing list of countries including South Korea, Italy and France have voiced concerns about the application's security and data practices. Australia upped the ante overnight banning DeepSeek from all government devices, one of the toughest moves against the Chinese chatbot yet. "This is an action the government has taken on the advice of security agencies. It's absolutely not a symbolic move," said government cyber security envoy Andrew Charlton. "We don't want to expose government systems to these applications." Risks included that uploaded information "might not be kept private", Charlton told national broadcaster ABC, and that applications such as DeepSeek "may expose you to malware". "After considering threat and risk analysis, I have determined that the use of DeepSeek products, applications and web services poses an unacceptable level of security risk to the Australian Government," Department of Home Affairs Secretary Stephanie Foster said in the directive. As of Wednesday all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must "identify and remove all existing instances of DeepSeek products, applications and web services on all Australian Government systems and mobile devices," she added. The directive also required that "access, use or installation of DeepSeek products" be prevented across government systems and mobile devices. It has garnered bipartisan support among Australian politicians. Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said the public should "think carefully" about also removing DeepSeek from their private phones and computers. In 2018 Australia banned Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from its national 5G network, citing national security concerns. TikTok was banned from government devices in 2023 on the advice of Australian intelligence agencies. Alarm bells DeepSeek raised alarm last month when it claimed its new R1 chatbot matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for a fraction of the cost. It has sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, with some calling its high performance and supposed low cost a wake-up call for US developers. Some experts have accused DeepSeek of reverse-engineering the capabilities of leading US technology, such as the AI powering ChatGPT. Several countries now including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and Italy have expressed concern about DeepSeek's data practices, including how it handles personal data and what information is used to train DeepSeek's AI system. Tech and trade spats between China and Australia go back years. Beijing was enraged by Canberra's Huawei decision, along with its crackdown on Chinese foreign influence operations and a call for an investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. A multi-billion-dollar trade war raged between Canberra and Beijing but eventually cooled late last year, when China lifted its final barrier, a ban on imports of Australian live rock lobsters.

DeepSeek banned from Australian government devices over national security concerns

Home affairs minister Tony Burke says decision follows advice from intelligence agencies and is not impacted by AI chatbot's country of origin, China DeepSeek will be banned from all federal government devices as the Albanese government cracks down on the Chinese AI chatbot, citing unspecified national security risks. The launch of DeepSeek's AI generative chatbot rocked US tech stocks last week amid concerns over censorship and data security. The home affairs department secretary signed a directive on Tuesday banning the program from all federal government systems and devices on national security grounds after advice from intelligence agencies that it poses an unacceptable risk. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said the decision was not impacted by the app's country of origin - China - but by its risk to the government and its assets. "The Albanese government is taking swift and decisive action to protect Australia's national security and national interest," Burke said. "AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity - but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk." Government departments and agencies will be required to report back to home affairs as soon as possible to ensure the app does not remain on any devices, and they are prevented from reinstalling it. The decision comes almost two years after the Albanese government issued its government-wide ban on Chinese social media app TikTok, citing "security and privacy" risks. The science minister, Ed Husic, said in January he foresaw similar discussions happening over DeepSeek. "I think people will naturally gravitate towards that. I think there'll be parallels to what you've seen with discussion around TikTok that emerge around DeepSeek as well. I wouldn't be surprised if that emerges," he said. Australia is the latest country to ban DeepSeek on government devices, after Taiwan, Italy and some federal US agencies earlier moved to block the app. This week, the New South Wales government reportedly banned the app while other state governments were considering options. A Guardian Australia analysis in January revealed the chatbot did not provide responses to certain political events sensitive to the Chinese government. Unlike other models - including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini - DeepSeek did not engage when asked about topics such as Tiananmen Square and the Umbrella revolution. It said: "Sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else." DeepSeek proved immediately popular on global app stores after launching in January. On the day it launched, $US1tn was wiped from the leading US tech index.

Australia bans DeepSeek AI program on govt devices

Australia has banned DeepSeek from all government devices as it seeks to block "an unacceptable level of security risk" presented by China's breakout artificial intelligence program, according to an official order Tuesday. Developed by a China-based technology startup, the DeepSeek chatbot has astounded industry insiders and upended financial markets since it was released last month. Countries including South Korea, Italy and France have expressed concerns about the program's security and data practices. But Canberra's move overnight appears to be the toughest by a government against the Chinese chatbot. "After considering threat and risk analysis, I have determined that the use of DeepSeek products, applications and web services poses an unacceptable level of security risk to the Australian Government," Department of Home Affairs Secretary Stephanie Foster said in the directive. As of Wednesday all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must "identify and remove all existing instances of DeepSeek products, applications and web services on all Australian Government systems and mobile devices," she added. The directive also required that "access, use or installation of DeepSeek products" be prevented across government systems and mobile devices. The action is the latest by governments from around the world which have been turning a spotlight on the services of the Chinese startup. DeepSeek raised alarms last month when it claimed its new R1 chatbot matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for a fraction of the cost. It particularly has sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, with some calling its high performance and supposed low cost a wake-up call for US developers. Some experts have accused DeepSeek of reverse-engineering the capabilities of leading US technology, such as the AI powering ChatGPT. Several countries now including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and Italy have expressed concern about DeepSeek's data practices, including how it handles personal data and what information is used to train DeepSeek's AI system. Tech and trade spats between China and Australia go back years, as the two Asian nations experienced their worst crisis in relations in decades. In 2018 Australia banned Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from its national 5G network, citing national security concerns. Beijing was enraged by Canberra's Huawei decision, along with its crackdown on Chinese foreign influence operations and a call for an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. A multi-billion-dollar trade war raged between Canberra and Beijing but eventually cooled late last year, when China lifted its final barrier, a ban on imports of Australian live rock lobsters.

Here is the list of countries and government agencies that have banned DeepSeek's AI

DeepSeek faces scrutiny from global regulators, with countries like Italy, Taiwan, and Australia banning its AI app over data security concerns. The US Congress, Navy, and other agencies have restricted its use. India's Finance Ministry has advised against AI tools for government data protection. DeepSeek's data storage in China raises significant privacy issues.DeepSeek finds itself under scrutiny from regulators across the world only days its AI models and chatbot app went viral. A few countries have banned the government use of the Chinese startup's AI technology. Watchdogs of European countries such as Ireland, France, Belgium, and Netherlands have raised concerns about the DeepSeek app's data collection practices. India's finance ministry has asked its employees not to use any Al tools or apps in office devices as they pose data safety risks. The Department of Expenditure, in a communication, recently said it has been determined that Al tools and AI apps in office computers and devices pose risks to the confidentiality of government data and documents. The communication also named some AI tools. The employees have been advised to strictly avoid the use of Al tools/AI apps in office devices. Several federal agencies in the US have instructed its employees against accessing DeepSeek, and "hundreds of companies" have requested their enterprise cybersecurity firms such as Netskope and Armis to block access to the app, according to a report by Bloomberg. "We store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China," the DeepSeek app's privacy policy reads. The biggest concern with DeepSeek is that the user data could be shared with the government of China. The country has laws that require companies to share data with local intelligence agencies upon their request. However, these concerns may exist only with the application layer of DeepSeek's AI, as running some of its AI models locally reportedly ensures that the company does not get its hands on sensitive user data. The Indian government now plans to host DeepSeek's AI model on local servers. "Data privacy issues regarding DeepSeek can be addressed by hosting open source models on Indian servers," Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Italy: Last month, Italy became one of the first countries to ban DeepSeek's AI. The AI chatbot app has reportedly been removed from app stores in the country. This came days after the country's privacy watchdog sought information on how the Chinese AI startup handles user data. It had given DeepSeek 20 days to reply to the notice. The Italian Data Protection Agency (DPA) was reportedly acting based on a complaint filed by consumer coalition group, Euroconsumers. Taiwan: Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs has banned government agencies from using the company's AI satating that DeepSeek "endangers national information security". The ban also reportedly covers public schools and state-owned enterprises in Taiwan Australia: Government workers in Australia have been prohibited from installing and using DeepSeek'a AI app over security concerns. The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs has directed to "prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and web services from all Australian Government systems and devices." The ban is not applicable to the country's private citizens, as per Reuters. Union Finance Ministry: The Finance Ministry has asked its employees not to use any Al tools or apps in office devices as they pose data safety risks. The employees have been advised to strictly avoid the use of Al tools/AI apps in office devices. "It has been determined that AI tools and AI apps (such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek etc.) in the office computers and devices pose risks for confidentiality of (government) data and documents," read an internal advisory issued by the ministry on January 29. US Congress: Members of the US Congress have been warned against using DeepSeek. "Threat actors are already exploiting DeepSeek to deliver malicious software and infect devices [...] To mitigate these risks, the House has taken security measures to restrict DeepSeek's functionality on all House-issued devices," a notice by the chief administrative officer of the US House of Representatives reads. The congressional staff has also been prohibited from installing DeepSeek apps on their official devices. US Navy: The US Navy has ordered its members not to use DeepSeek's apps or AI technology "in any capacity" due to potential security and ethical concerns associated with the origins and usage. "It is imperative that members don't use DeepSeek's AI for any work-related tasks or personal use, and refrain from downloading, installing, or using DeepSeek AI," the US Navy said in an internal email. Pentagon: The Pentagon has blocked access to DeepSeek since January according to Bloomberg. It is the headquarters of the US Department of Defense (DoD). The restrictions were reportedly put in place after defence officials raised concerns over Pentagon workers using DeepSeek's app without authorisation. NASA: The space research organisation has also banned the usage of DeepSeek. "DeepSeek and its products and services are not authorized for use with NASA's data and information or on government-issued devices and networks. [Employees are not authorized to] access DeepSeek via NASA devices and agency-managed network connections," read an internal memo by the US space agency. Texas: The state of Texas has issued an order to ban AI software developed by DeepSeek and other Chinese companies from government-issued devices in the state. "[Texas] will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said.

Australia bans DeepSeek AI program on government devices

A rising number of countries, including South Korea, Italy, and France, have expressed concerns over the application's security and data practices. Australia escalated the issue by banning DeepSeek from all government devices overnight, marking one of the harshest actions taken against the Chinese chatbot so far.Australia has banned DeepSeek from all government devices on the advice of security agencies, a top official said Wednesday, citing privacy and malware risks posed by China's breakout AI program. The DeepSeek chatbot -- developed by a China-based startup -- has astounded industry insiders and upended financial markets since it was released last month. But a growing list of countries including South Korea, Italy and France have voiced concerns about the application's security and data practices. Australia upped the ante overnight banning DeepSeek from all government devices, one of the toughest moves against the Chinese chatbot yet. "This is an action the government has taken on the advice of security agencies. It's absolutely not a symbolic move," said government cyber security envoy Andrew Charlton. "We don't want to expose government systems to these applications." Risks included that uploaded information "might not be kept private", Charlton told national broadcaster ABC, and that applications such as DeepSeek "may expose you to malware". 'Unacceptable' risk Australia's Home Affairs department issued a directive to government employees overnight. "After considering threat and risk analysis, I have determined that the use of DeepSeek products, applications and web services poses an unacceptable level of security risk to the Australian Government," Department of Home Affairs Secretary Stephanie Foster said in the directive. As of Wednesday all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must "identify and remove all existing instances of DeepSeek products, applications and web services on all Australian Government systems and mobile devices," she added. The directive also required that "access, use or installation of DeepSeek products" be prevented across government systems and mobile devices. It has garnered bipartisan support among Australian politicians. Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said the public should "think carefully" about also removing DeepSeek from their private phones and computers. In 2018 Australia banned Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from its national 5G network, citing national security concerns. TikTok was banned from government devices in 2023 on the advice of Australian intelligence agencies. Alarm bells DeepSeek raised alarm last month when it claimed its new R1 chatbot matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for a fraction of the cost. It has sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, with some calling its high performance and supposed low cost a wake-up call for US developers. Some experts have accused DeepSeek of reverse-engineering the capabilities of leading US technology, such as the AI powering ChatGPT. Several countries now including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and Italy have expressed concern about DeepSeek's data practices, including how it handles personal data and what information is used to train DeepSeek's AI system. Tech and trade spats between China and Australia go back years. Beijing was enraged by Canberra's Huawei decision, along with its crackdown on Chinese foreign influence operations and a call for an investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. A multi-billion-dollar trade war raged between Canberra and Beijing but eventually cooled late last year, when China lifted its final barrier, a ban on imports of Australian live rock lobsters.

Which countries have restricted DeepSeek and why?

DeepSeek has become one of the most downloaded apps worldwide, but some governments have security concerns. Chinese start-up DeepSeek has gotten the artificial intelligence (AI) world excited and wary, with governments already banning its DeepSeek-R1 frontier reasoning model just a couple of weeks after its launch. 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 Chinese 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. Here are all the countries that have banned DeepSeek-R1 and those that are looking into the company. Taiwan Taiwan banned government agencies from using DeepSeek's AI model last week, citing security concerns. The democratically-governed country has been wary of Chinese tech due to Beijing's sovereignty claims. Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said on Friday that all government agencies and critical infrastructure should not use DeepSeek because it "endangers national information security". "DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product," the ministry said in a statement. "Its operation involves cross-border transmission and information leakage and other information security concerns," the statement added. The United States While there has been no nationwide ban, Texas became the first US state to ban DeepSeek on government-issued devices. "Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps," Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement on January 31. "Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors". The governor also prohibited the Chinese-owned social media apps Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, and Lemon8 on all state-issued devices. The United States Navy also officially banned its members from using DeepSeek, according to CNBC. An email told members of the navy not to use DeepSeek "for any work-related tasks or personal use," over "potential security and ethical concerns associated with the model's origin and usage". CNBC also reported that NASA had banned DeepSeek's AI technology from being used by employees and was blocking access from its systems. A memo quoted by CNBC said: "DeepSeek and its products and services are not authorised for use with NASA's data and information or on government-issued devices and networks". Italy Italy became the first country to block DeepSeek on January 30. 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 stop processing Italians' data. It comes after DeepSeek reportedly told the Italian authorities that it would not cooperate with a request for information. "Contrary to what was found by the authority, the companies have declared that they do not operate in Italy and that European legislation does not apply to them," the Italian regulator said, which added that it was opening an investigation into the company. Which countries are investigating DeepSeek? So far, the Belgian, Irish, French and South Korean data protection authorities said they had planned to ask DeepSeek how users' personal information is managed.

The International DeepSeek Crackdown Is Underway

Italy, Taiwan, and others are already raising security concerns over the Chinese AI model and issuing bans. Apparently, no Chinese breakthrough goes unpunished. It's been about one week since Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek released its DeepSeek-R1 model that managed to rival the performance of American offerings for a fraction of the cost, and now the rest of the world is looking to put the firm under the microscope. Per the Wall Street Journal, Italy's data privacy watchdog announced Thursday that it is launching a probe into how DeepSeek is handling user dataâ€"an investigation that follows in the footsteps of a number of nations that are cracking down on the company. The Italian Data Protection Authority issued a restraining order against both Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, the two Chinese companies behind the ChatGPT rival. The watchdog agency raised concerns over DeepSeek's failure to disclose what personal information it collects, how it processes that data, and whether or not that information is being stored on servers in China. Access to DeepSeek has been blocked in Italy as the investigation is underway. Italy isn't the only country with concerns. Taiwan's digital ministry advised government officials not to use DeepSeek over security concerns including potential data leakage. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission announced that it plans to question DeepSeek over how it manages the personal information of users. France's National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties plans to probe the AI firm over data protection practices, while Belgium is looking into potential GDPR violations and Ireland is asking for more details on how DeepSeek handles data. And of course, it wouldn't be a crackdown if America didn't get involved. Per Reuters, the US Commerce Department is reportedly investigating if DeepSeek has been secretly using American-made chips that are not allowed to be shipped to China. That seems about right, frankly. The rest of the world is looking into privacy issues and America wants to know if this thing is going to hurt the bottom line of its own firms like Nvidia, which saw its stock price take a tumble as soon as word hit the market that you don't need to spend billions of dollars to make a functional AI model. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will be meeting with Trump in Washington, D.C. Friday, and the two will surely discuss ways to protect the company's profits from foreign threats like DeepSeek. There is good reason to have concerns over DeepSeek's data privacy practicesâ€"as there are with basically every firm that wants to get its hands on your information. Security firm Wiz Research recently published a report warning that a database belonging to DeepSeek was left exposed and revealed chat histories and other potentially sensitive information, and Wired reported that the AI app is sending US user data to servers in China. If you're worried about who is accessing your personal information, it's probably best to avoid all AI apps, whether they are made by a Chinese firm or otherwise.

Australia bans DeepSeek on government devices over security risk

Australia has banned DeepSeek from all government devices and systems over what it says is the security risk the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup poses. DeepSeek stunned the world in January when it unveiled a chatbot which matched the performance level of US rivals, while claiming it had a much lower training cost. Billions of dollars were wiped off stock markets internationally, including in Australia, where stocks tied to AI - such as chipmaker Brainchip - fell sharply overnight. The Australian government has insisted the ban is not due to the app's Chinese origins but because of the "unacceptable risk" it poses to national security.

Australia bans DeepSeek from government tech, citing security

Australia has banned DeepSeek AI services from all government systems and devices, becoming one of the first countries to take direct action against a Chinese artificial intelligence startup that shook Silicon Valley and global markets this year. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement Tuesday that all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds effective immediately. A threat assessment by the country's intelligence agencies found the technology posed an unacceptable risk, he said. Founded in Hangzhou only 20 months ago, DeepSeek's technology made waves in January with a new mobile app featuring its reasoning AI chatbot -- which articulates its approximation of thought process and research before delivering a response -- that seemed to suggest top-tier AI could be developed without huge investments in hardware. Its appeal took it to the top of worldwide download charts. However, doubts quickly arose about the security of the service.

You can use DeepSeek, just not in these countries - Phandroid

DeepSeek has emerged as a major new player in the AI race. The company is quickly, challenging industry giants like OpenAI's ChatGPT. However, despite its rapid rise, the company is already facing several obstacles. This is because several countries are restricting or investigating access to DeepSeek. As it stands, both Italy and Taiwan already limiting access to DeepSeek's AI models. In the US, Congressional offices have been warned not to use DeepSeek. Several other countries, including Belgium, Ireland, France, South Korea, and the UK, are launching their own investigations before deciding whether to allow DeepSeek in their markets. The issue stems from data security and potential risks of government influence over the AI model. This is because being a Chinese company, DeepSeek's servers are located in China. This has led to concerns about the potential for data leakage to the Chinese government. This is also one of the main reasons why TikTok is facing so much scrutiny as of late. The US government is concerned that TikTok could be sending data on US citizens back to China. However, this concern isn't new. Countries have previously restricted Chinese tech companies like such as Huawei. Another Chinese company, ZTE, has also come under investigation recently over national security concerns. That being said, these restrictions could make it harder for DeepSeek to gain a foothold in global markets. This could also severely limit its ability to compete with Western AI leaders. However, if the company can reassure regulators about data privacy, it may still have a chance to expand worldwide.

Australia Bans DeepSeek From Government Tech on Security Concern

Australia has banned DeepSeek AI services from all government systems and devices, becoming one of the first countries to take direct action against a Chinese artificial intelligence startup that shook Silicon Valley and global markets this year. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement Tuesday that all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds effective immediately. A threat assessment by the country's intelligence agencies found the technology posed an unacceptable risk, he said.

DeepSeek AI banned by NASA, US Navy, and more over privacy concerns

The list of countries and organizations taking a stand against the AI tool continues to increase DeepSeek AI remains a talking point as concerns surrounding the chatbot's privacy and security continue to spread amongst the tech world. Despite its meteoric rise in popularity, experts warn that DeepSeek's privacy credentials range from leaving a lot to be desired to outright dangerous - even the best VPNs will struggle to protect you. The China-based AI tool exploded onto the scene in January, sending the US stock market into disarray and threatening to upset the AI status quo. But this was all short-lived, as on 27 January 2025, DeepSeek suffered a large-scale cyberattack and, soon after, its privacy failings were uncovered. Tom's Guide answered the question "Is DeepSeek safe to use" with a resounding no, but we're not the only ones. A number of countries and organizations have moved to block, ban, and investigate DeepSeek, and here we'll detail some of the most significant. Italy was the first country to ban DeepSeek, following an investigation by the Italian Data Protection Authority (IDPA). Action was taken to "protect the data of Italian users," despite DeepSeek claiming the company did not fall under the jurisdiction of EU law. The authorities investigated DeepSeek's personal data collection and compliance with GDPR legislation. What data was collected, its purpose, its storage, and its use in AI model training were all examined. In a press release on 30 January, the IDPA said DeepSeek's claims were "contrary to what was found by the Authority" and the app would be banned "with immediate effect." The app is currently unavailable on Italian app stores, and we strongly advise against using a VPN to bypass restrictions and download the app. Ireland was another early mover when it comes to DeepSeek concerns. On 29 January, the Irish Data Protection Commission requested information from DeepSeek about data processing in relation to Irish users. In a statement, the regulator said "The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has written to DeepSeek requesting information on the data processing conducted in relation to data subjects in Ireland." At the time of writing, DeepSeek has not responded publicly to either the Irish or Italian investigations. However, Politico reported that DeepSeek had told Italian authorities it wouldn't cooperate with a request for information made by the agency. A handful of other EU members have either opened investigations into DeepSeek, or are considering one. Euractiv reported that Belgium's Data Protection Authority (DPA) opened a formal investigation into DeepSeek on 30 January - this follows a complaint by consumer protection group TechAchat. France's data regulator, CNIL, will be analysing DeepSeek's tools ahead of a request for further information. Authorities in Luxembourg and Cyprus are also exploring possible action. As reported by NOS, the Dutch DPA has voiced concerns over DeepSeek's privacy practices, and Croatian authorities have also written to the company requesting information. According to data from Euractiv, Germany is reviewing complaints against DeepSeek, whilst Portugal and Greece have filed complaints. At this stage, the remaining EU members have no restrictions against DeepSeek in place. At the time of writing, the UK government has not indicated it would ban DeepSeek, but the app is being probed due to security concerns. Speaking to Politico, Business Secretary, Peter Kyle said: "We scrutinize every innovation of the size and scale and impact of DeepSeek and we will make sure that it goes through the right system" and added that Britain will "make sure that safety is there from the onset." In an interview with Bloomberg, AI Minister Feryal Clark said downloading DeepSeek was "a personal choice for people." She advised that people downloading the app should be "alert to the potential risks" and "know how their data will be used." The Scottish government is following the steps of the UK government and has said its staff are permitted to use DeepSeek, with "no restrictions" relating to the app. On 3 February, as reported by Reuters, Taiwan banned government departments from using DeepSeek. Previously the government had said it should not be used, but has now strengthened its language, calling it a security risk and banning the app. In his statement, Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said the ban was "to ensure the country's information security", as well as expressing concerns about censorship and data ending up in the hands of China. The Chinese government exercises tight control over the country's internet and has some of the world's strictest VPN laws. DeepSeek is not free from this control, and there have been reports of censorship relating to information about Taiwan and Tiananmen Square. Another one of China's close neighbors, South Korea, also expressed concern over DeepSeek. On 31 January, the country's Personal Information Protection Commission said it would be sending a written request to DeepSeek's operators for information relating to how the personal information of its users is managed. A number of organizations, particularly in the US, have already banned, restricted, or expressed concern over the use of DeepSeek. CNBC reported that NASA's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer sent a memo to all personnel banning the use of DeepSeek and blocking access to the app from its systems. It was reported that the measure was due to DeepSeek's servers operating outside of the US, "raising national security and privacy concerns." DeepSeek's privacy policy states that its servers are located in China and its terms of service detail how it "shall be governed by the laws of the People's Republic of China in the mainland." Back in January, President Donald Trump said DeepSeek's rise was a "wake up call" for America's AI industry, but hasn't yet addressed national security concerns. Trump isn't one to shy away from these threats, having originally cited national security concerns as his reasons for championing the TikTok ban - something he later U-turned on. But despite Trump's current silence on the issue, other US organizations, alongside NASA, are combating DeepSeek. Again reported by CNBC, the US Navy has instructed its members to avoid using DeepSeek's AI tool. In an email to "shipmates," the Navy voiced warnings about DeepSeek and said it was not to be used "in any capacity" due to "potential security and ethical concerns." The US Navy confirmed to CNBC the email's authenticity and said it related to the Department of the Navy's Chief Information Officer's generative AI policy. It appears as though the US Congress has issued warnings to members surrounding DeepSeek. Information obtained by Axios said the app is "currently unauthorized for official House use." It warned that DeepSeek was already being maliciously exploited and the app's functionality was being restricted on all House-issued devices "to mitigate these risks." Staffers are prohibited from installing DeepSeek on any official phones, computers, and tablets. It isn't just Congress that is banning DeepSeek on government devices - states are doing it too. On 31 January, Texas became the first state to restrict the app as Governor Greg Abbott issued a ban, as reported by AP. In a statement, Abbot said: "Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps." There have also been concerns a little closer to home. Tom's Guide's parent company - Future plc - issued a warning about DeepSeek and advised against installing it on mobile devices. The reason for all this concern stems from investigations into DeepSeek's data privacy practices. Analysis of its privacy policy detailed excessive amounts of personal data collection, a large number of which is also shared with third-parties and advertisers. Personal information collected includes name, email address, date of birth, and telephone numbers. The technical information collected includes IP address, device model, payment information, cookies, and all inputs and outputs given. User and device IDs are given, enabling you to be tracked across multiple devices and even keystrokes are logged. DeepSeek doesn't give a time frame for how long this information is stored, saying it's kept for "as long as necessary." Its policy states users "may have certain rights with respect to your personal information" but this varies by location. You "may" also have the right to delete your data but there is no detail on how much data this is referring to. There is a great deal of concern surrounding DeepSeek and VPNs won't be much help. The best form of protection is simply not downloading the app. The volume of action taken, and the variety of groups taking it, shows the spread and levels of concern afforded to DeepSeek. If you value your data privacy and security, do not download DeepSeek AI.

'Risk is too great': China's DeepSeek banned from government devices

Members of Parliament and public servants have been banned from using the Chinese-made AI app DeepSeek on government devices. The government says it poses an unacceptable risk to national security. "There are too many unanswered questions about this app, which is, of course, Chinese-made, and as a result, the government and national security intelligence agencies believe the risk is simply too great to government devices," Sky News Political Correspondent Cameron Reddin said. "Immediately, from today, government agencies, public servants, and politicians will not be allowed to have this app of DeepSeek on their phone."

Full List: Which regions/organisations have banned DeepSeek use?

Disclaimer: This content generated by AI & may have errors or hallucinations. Edit before use. Read our Terms of use Days into the release of its AI model R1, Chinese AI company DeepSeek has been rife with controversy, with concerns about how it censors content that is against the Chinese government. Further, cybersecurity experts have found that the model's publicly accessible database exposes the AI's chat history, secret keys, backend details, and other highly sensitive information. Data privacy is the key concern for every organisation/region restricting DeepSeek. As per DeepSeek's privacy policy, the company stores all its data in China where the government can ask it (as well as other companies) for access to this data. With restrictions on the company cropping up every couple of days, here's a running list to keep track of all the countries/regions that have banned it so far: 1. Italy: The country blocked DeepSeek on January 31 because of a lack of information about how the company's R1 model processes users' data. The country has also opened up an investigation into the AI model. Italian regulator Garante Privacy had sent a request for information to the company to confirm which personal data the model collects, its sources for said data, the purposes of said data collection, the legal basis for data collection, and whether the servers for storing said data are located in China. However, the regulator found the information that the company provided 'insufficient' which led the regulator to ban its AI models. 2. US: While people in the US continue to have access to DeepSeek, the US Congress has urged staff to not add the company's app on their official devices, according to a report by Axios. The US House of Representatives' Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) has also mentioned that it is reviewing the app and warned the staff that threat actors are exploiting DeepSeek to deliver malicious software and infect devices. Besides Congress, the US Navy has also asked its employees not to use DeepSeek's AI model due to security and ethical concerns with the model's usage. 3. Texas: Texas is the first state government to ban DeepSeek use. According to a report by the Associated Press, the state has restricted government employees from downloading the model on government-owned devices. The state government says that it will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps. It has also restricted government employees from downloading Chinese social media apps RedNote and Lemon8 devices. 4. Taiwan: According to a report by Reuters, Taiwan has banned government departments from using DeepSeek's AI models to ensure the government's 'information security.' Note: We will keep updating this list, so feel free to bookmark this page. Also read:

Call to extend DeepSeek ban beyond government devices

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. The federal government is facing demands to go further with restrictions on Chinese-developed artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek, including blocking critical infrastructure providers from using it, after it announced that the chatbot would be banned from government-issued phones and computers. Beijing was yet to react to the ban, which is the latest in a series of measures Australian authorities have adopted to limit exposure to Chinese technology on security grounds.

Labor bans DeepSeek from all government devices effective immediately

Labor has banned AI app DeepSeek from all government systems and devices effective immediately. The decision to ban the Chinese-owned app was made on national security grounds after it was deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to Australian government technology. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said, "AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity, but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk."

Major Australian telcos forbid use of controversial Chinese AI at work

Vodafone's parent company TPG Telecom and Optus have banned employees from using the controversial Chinese artificial intelligence program DeepSeek on workplace devices. The AI sent shockwaves through the tech world last week, with its reported $5.6m creation cost rattling United States tech giants who poured billions into their systems. Concerns also arose over its connections to the Chinese government and the worrying responses it gave on issues deemed controversial in China. Many large businesses and government bodies have since taken action over the fears. The Federal Government on Tuesday announced it was banning DeepSeek from workplace devices "to protect Australia's national security and national interest". Then on Wednesday, Optus confirmed to SkyNews.com.au its employees are not able to access DeepSeek on work devices, as they can only use AI programs that are managed by the telco unless given approval by senior leadership. "The use of DeepSeek AI has not been implemented by Optus and access to the system has been blocked for all employees," an Optus spokesperson said in a statement. DeepSeek's rise caught the attention of TPG Telecom's general manager of tech security Lee Barney who warned against even personal use of the AI. "We have banned DeepSeek across TPG and are recommending our people to not use it in a personal capacity," Mr Barney said in a statement. "The speed of AI developments and how information is ingested and used needs to be met with a measured and cautious approach from both the public and corporate Australia." Meanwhile, the Australian arm of major advisory firm Ernst & Young told SkyNews.com.au its employees are only allowed to use approved AI tools "when handling EY or client information". "EY people may choose to use other AI tools for personal or general inquiries, however, these tools must not be used in connection with EY or client information," an EY spokesperson said. The moves by leading companies come after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke issued a statement about risks the Chinese AI posed to Australia's security when he announced the government was banning DeepSeek. "AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity - but the Government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk," Mr Burke said. "Our approach is country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian Government and our assets." The move follows a similar ban imposed in 2023, when the government prevented TikTok from being used on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies. It also comes days after Italy's data protection authority ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country. The New South Wales Department of Customer Service has also forbidden access to DeepSeek on its systems and devices amid concerns over how the AI handles data. "The Department of Customer Service... (has) taken a precautionary approach to restrict corporate access to DeepSeek AI, consistent with the approach taken for many new and emerging applications, systems and services," a department spokesperson said. A SkyNews.com.au special report tested the new system DeepSeek last week and discovered the AI malfunctioned when asked about Uyghur Muslims and still thinks journalist Cheng Lei is languishing in Chinese detention. When asked if Taiwan is independent from China, DeepSeek stressed the Chinese government's One-China principle and even called Taiwanese independence a "serious challenge to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity". It operated in a strange manor when questioned about Uyghur Muslims, who China has been accused of committing human rights abuses against. "Who are the Uyghurs and what can you tell me about those who live in China?" SkyNews.com.au asked DeepSeek. The AI provided SkyNews.com.au a brief answer covering the ethnic groups' history, culture and the controversies surrounding the Chinese government's treatment of them before scrapping the answer and asking the user to discuss a different topic. "Sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else," DeepSeek said. It responds similarly when asked about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. DeepSeek emerged as a serious challenger to US AI companies that use highly powerful chips from manufacturer Nvidia. A point of widespread concern about the new player was the responses it gave to questions about issues deemed controversial in China.

Italy Bans Chinese DeepSeek AI Over Data Privacy and Ethical Concerns

Italy's data protection watchdog has blocked Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firm DeepSeek's service within the country, citing a lack of information on its use of users' personal data. The development comes days after the authority, the Garante, sent a series of questions to DeepSeek, asking about its data handling practices and where it obtained its training data. In particular, it wanted to know what personal data is collected by its web platform and mobile app, from which sources, for what purposes, on what legal basis, and whether it is stored in China. In a statement issued January 30, 2025, the Garante said it arrived at the decision after DeepSeek provided information that it said was "completely insufficient." The entities behind the service, Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, have "declared that they do not operate in Italy and that European legislation does not apply to them," it added. As a result, the watchdog said it's blocking access to DeepSeek with immediate effect, and that it's simultaneously opening a probe. In 2023, the data protection authority also issued a temporary ban on OpenAI's ChatGPT, a restriction that was lifted in late April after the artificial intelligence (AI) company stepped in to address the data privacy concerns raised. Subsequently, OpenAI was fined €15 million over how it handled personal data. News of DeepSeek's ban comes as the company has been riding the wave of popularity this week, with millions of people flocking to the service and sending its mobile apps to the top of the download charts. Besides becoming the target of "large-scale malicious attacks," it has drawn the attention of lawmakers and regulars for its privacy policy, China-aligned censorship, propaganda, and the national security concerns it may pose. The company has implemented a fix as of January 31 to address the attacks on its services. Adding to the challenges, DeepSeek's large language models (LLM) have been found to be susceptible to jailbreak techniques like Crescendo, Bad Likert Judge, Deceptive Delight, Do Anything Now (DAN), and EvilBOT, thereby allowing bad actors to generate malicious or prohibited content. "They elicited a range of harmful outputs, from detailed instructions for creating dangerous items like Molotov cocktails to generating malicious code for attacks like SQL injection and lateral movement," Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 said in a Thursday report. "While DeepSeek's initial responses often appeared benign, in many cases, carefully crafted follow-up prompts often exposed the weakness of these initial safeguards. The LLM readily provided highly detailed malicious instructions, demonstrating the potential for these seemingly innocuous models to be weaponized for malicious purposes." Further evaluation of DeepSeek's reasoning model, DeepSeek-R1, by AI security company HiddenLayer, has uncovered that it's not only vulnerable to prompt injections but also that its Chain-of-Thought (CoT) reasoning can lead to inadvertent information leakage. In an interesting twist, the company said the model also "surfaced multiple instances suggesting that OpenAI data was incorporated, raising ethical and legal concerns about data sourcing and model originality." The disclosure also follows the discovery of a jailbreak vulnerability in OpenAI ChatGPT-4o dubbed Time Bandit that makes it possible for an attacker to get around the safety guardrails of the LLM by prompting the chatbot with questions in a manner that makes it lose its temporal awareness. OpenAI has since mitigated the problem. "An attacker can exploit the vulnerability by beginning a session with ChatGPT and prompting it directly about a specific historical event, historical time period, or by instructing it to pretend it is assisting the user in a specific historical event," the CERT Coordination Center (CERT/CC) said. "Once this has been established, the user can pivot the received responses to various illicit topics through subsequent prompts." Similar jailbreak flaws have also been identified in GitHub's Copilot coding assistant, granting threat actors the ability to sidestep security restrictions and produce harmful code simply by including words like "sure" in the prompt. "Starting queries with affirmative words like 'Sure' or other forms of confirmation acts as a trigger, shifting Copilot into a more compliant and risk-prone mode," Apex researcher Oren Saban said. "This small tweak is all it takes to unlock responses that range from unethical suggestions to outright dangerous advice." Apex said it also found another vulnerability in Copilot's proxy configuration that it said could be exploited to fully circumvent access limitations without paying for usage and even tamper with the Copilot system prompt, which serves as the foundational instructions that dictate the model's behavior. The attack, however, hinges on capturing an authentication token associated with an active Copilot license, prompting GitHub to classify it as an abuse issue following responsible disclosure. "The proxy bypass and the positive affirmation jailbreak in GitHub Copilot are a perfect example of how even the most powerful AI tools can be abused without adequate safeguards," Saban added.

'Unacceptable risk': China's AI app DeepSeek banned on government devices

Defence Minister Richard Marles claims the advice on a Chinese artificial intelligence program called DeepSeek is that it would represent an "unacceptable risk" to government networks to have the app. "We take that advice. We get that advice literally in respect of every app that we find on any government phone, on any government network, and it's important that that's done," Mr Marles told Sky News Australia. Mr Marles' remarks come as members of Parliament and public servants have been banned from using the Chinese-made AI app DeepSeek on government devices.

DeepSeek AI banned in Italy as data privacy concerns pile up

Italy is the first country to block the app, but more are expected to follow Italy has become the first country to ban DeepSeek AI, with authorities citing data privacy and ethical concerns. The move follows an investigation launched into DeepSeek's compliance with European GDPR rules and global concerns about its safety. Currently the best VPNs can unblock DeepSeek for use in Italy. However, that is not advised. We answered the question "is DeepSeek safe to use" and can comfortably say the Chinese-based AI tool should be avoided due to its worrying data privacy practices. It appears as though Italy is the first country to ban DeepSeek and said the move was "adopted to protect the data of Italian users." The limitation of the processing of data of Italian users has been ordered "with immediate effect." On Tuesday 28 January 2025, Italy launched an investigation into DeepSeek's personal data collection and how it complies with GDPR legislation. It looked to examine what data was being collected, for what purpose, where it's being stored, and if it has been used to train DeepSeek's AI model. Italy gave DeepSeek 20 days to respond, but the Chinese AI company claimed its tool did not fall under the jurisdiction of EU law. In a press release published on Thursday 30 January 2025, the Italian Data Protection Authority said this claim was "contrary to what the Authority found" and took steps to immediately block the app. The AI chatbot is currently not available on Apple and Google app stores in Italy and DeepSeek has not yet publicly responded to its banning. However, Politico reported that DeepSeek had told Italian authorities it wouldn't cooperate with a request for information made by the agency. Earlier this week, the Irish Data Protection Commission also contacted DeepSeek, requesting details related to the data of Irish citizens and reports indicate Belgium has also begun investigating DeepSeek - with more countries expected to follow. Whilst it does appear possible for DeepSeek to be accessed in Italy by using a VPN, we would strongly advise against this. DeepSeek stormed to the top of app stores last week, causing an earthquake in the world of AI and even led to the stocks of Nvidia and Google plummeting. But it was soon hit by a large-scale cyberattack and its 15 minutes of fame began to come crashing down. Countless organisations and experts have raised severe concerns over DeepSeek's data privacy practices and Tom's Guide has analyzed its privacy policy. The app collects an enormous amount of invasive user data including IP addresses, cookies, personal information, and chatbot inputs and outputs. The collection of keystrokes and other technical information is concerning and user and device IDs are being assigned which enable tracking across multiple devices. The policy says this information may be shared with advertisers and third-parties and would be held "as long as necessary." Further investigation revealed your rights over this data are unclear to say the least, with DeepSeek saying users "may have certain rights with respect to your personal information" and it does not specify what data you do or don't have control over. DeepSeek's terms of service state it "shall be governed by the laws of the People's Republic of China in the mainland." This, and the fact the data is stored on servers based in China, opens up national security risks - ones similar to those at the heart of the US TikTok ban. China has some of the world's strictest VPN laws and the government maintains tight control over the internet in the country. This is no different with DeepSeek, as users reported answers to questions about Tiananmen Square and Taiwan being censored. DeepSeek's popularity and reputation seems to have plummeted as quickly as it rose and its red flags are increasing all the time. It isn't just data privacy concerns that have been raised, its cybersecurity protocols have been questioned as well. Cybersecurity firm KELA reported it was able to "jailbreak" the app, causing it to produce malicious outputs. The Italian authorities have joined numerous experts and organisations in taking steps against DeepSeek and it is very clear that if you value your data privacy, then this AI tool is to be avoided.

Italy bans Deepseek AI for stealing sensitive user data: All details

DeepSeek's privacy policy mentions that user data may be stored on servers in China. Chinese DeepSeek AI chatbot was quick to get everyone's attention, but soon that attention turned negative. It has found itself in the middle of a data collection controversy. Now, it is under investigation in Europe and has been removed from the App Store and Play Store in Italy. This comes after the Italian Data Protection Authority (DPA) raised concerns about the company's data collection and storage practices. Euroconsumers, a consumer rights group, filed a complaint against DeepSeek. It questioned the handling of personal data by DeepSeek AI. In response to this query, Italy's DPA requested detailed information from DeepSeek about its data storage practices and gave the company 20 days to reply. However, according to the officials, DeepSeek's initial response was inadequate. This prompted the Italian authorities to levy a ban on DeepSeek AI processing data from Italian users. What's concerning here is that DeepSeek's privacy policy mentions that user data may be stored on servers in China. Although the company asserts compliance with relevant data protection laws, the Italian authorities raised concerns about cybersecurity, privacy risks, and the potential for disinformation. This not only led to actions by the Italian regulators but has also caught the attention of other countries across the EU. Authorities have sent out warnings asking for adherence to strict AI and data protection laws. For those unaware, DeepSeek AI is a new chatbot in the market that has been developed in China. It quickly topped download charts in several countries, including the US. However, questions have emerged regarding its ethical development and handling of data. Critics suggest that DeepSeek may have trained its AI models by learning from US models like OpenAI's ChatGPT -- a process known as distillation -- which raises concerns about data extraction methods.

DeepSeek disappears from the Italian App Store and Google Play Store amid privacy complaint

DeepSeek has reportedly disappeared from Italy's Apple App Store and Google Play Store, with the disappearance starting on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The block came a day after the country's data watchdog, the Garante, filed a privacy complaint asking for clarification on how the ChatGPT rival handles users' personal data. Italian iPhone and Android users have confirmed to TechRadar the new AI chatbot isn't available in the app stores to download (see image below). The DeepSeek website remains available across the country for now. Italians can also still use their DeepSeek app if they had already downloaded it before the block came into force. At the time of writing, no official explanations about Italy's DeepSeek block have been shared. "I don't know if it's bound to us or not, we asked for some information. The company has now 20 days to reply," Pasquale Stanzione, head of Italy's data watchdog, said to Italian news agency ANSA. What's certain is that Italy isn't the only European country going after the new Chinese AI chatbot over privacy concerns. Belgium and Ireland also filed similar complaints, fearing that Deepseek's privacy policy may be in breach of GDPR rules. Despite the best VPN services being known to help users bypass online restrictions, Italians may require some extra workarounds. Like the US TikTok ban, a VPN isn't a one-click solution for the DeepSeek withdrawal. That's mainly because using a VPN doesn't spoof your App Store location. This means that you'll need to "find another way of downloading the app other than the Apple App or Google Play stores," explains Eamonn Maguire, Head of Account Security at Proton - the provider behind Proton VPN. Surely not impossible, however, experts suggest nonetheless doing this with caution. "This week's news around data privacy issues and leaked databases are concerning. When coupled with the company's potential links to the Chinese government, this is even more worrying," Maguire told TechRadar. While DeepSeek's privacy policy might look very similar to those of OpenAI-developed ChatGPT, Euroconsumers - a coalition of five national consumer protection organizations, which includes Italy and Belgium - found "multiple violations of European and national data protection regulations." Moreover, as per the provider's own wording, users' personal information is stored "in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China" and will be used to "comply with our legal obligations, or as necessary to perform tasks in the public interest, or to protect the vital interests of our users and other people." All in all, Maguire said: "We recommend users act with caution when using AI tools linked to China, particularly when sharing sensitive business or personal information."

Italy Blocks DeepSeek AI Over Data Privacy Concerns

Disclaimer: This content generated by AI & may have errors or hallucinations. Edit before use. Read our Terms of use Italy has become the first country to block the Chinese AI Model DeepSeek R1 given the lack of information about how the model processes users' data, according to a report by Reuters. In a tweet confirming the restriction, Italy's data protection regulator Garante Privacy said that it has simultaneously also started an investigation into the AI model. This comes after Italy's data protection regulator sent a request for information to the DeepSeek team on January 28. It asked the company to confirm which personal data the model collects, its sources for said data, the purposes of said data collection, the legal basis for data collection, and whether the servers for storing said data are located in China. Besides this, the regulator also sought information about the model's training data. In case the model was trained on data scraped from the web, the regulator directed DeepSeek's team to clarify how users registered and those not registered to the service have been or are informed about the processing of their data. DeepSeek R 1, released on January 20 this year, has been rife with controversy from the very beginning. Many claim that it heavily censors its responses especially when said responses may go against the Chinese government. For instance, it refused to address questions about the changes in Hong Kong textbooks in 2019, which stated that the island was never a British colony. Besides censorship, there are also plagiarism accusations against the model with OpenAI reportedly stating that DeepSeek used OpenAI's API to integrate OpenAI's AI models into its models. Further, the data protection measures of the model are also under question. According to a recent blog post by cloud security firm Wiz, DeepSeek has a publicly accessible database that exposes the AI's chat history, secret keys, backend details, and other highly sensitive information. "More critically, the exposure allowed for full database control and potential privilege escalation within the DeepSeek environment, without any authentication or defense mechanism," Wiz noted. For context privilege escalation is when a bad actor exploits a vulnerability to gain additional control over a network/service. Given the range of concerns surrounding DeepSeek one has to wonder whether Italy is the first in the line of countries to investigate the model. Besides Italy, the US Navy has asked its employees to not use DeepSeek due to security and ethical concerns with the model's usage.

DeepSeek AI blocked by Italian authorities as others member states open probes

The Italian Data Protection Authority has halted DeepSeek AI over concerns about its handling of Italians' private data. Ireland and Belgium have also requested information from the Chinese company regarding the model's use of European data. Italian Data Protection Authority Garante has halted processing of Italians' personal data by DeepSeek because the agency is not satisfied with the Chinese AI model's claims that it does not fall under purview of EU law. "Contrary to the Authority's findings, the companies stated that they do not operate in Italy and that European regulations do not apply to them," Garante wrote in a press release. On Tuesday Garante launched an investigation into Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, giving the companies 20 days to furnish details on how the AI chatbot complies with GDPR, the European data protection law - looking into what data is collected, for what purpose, where it's being stored and if it has been used to train the AI model. This block means that DeepSeek will not be available on app stores in Italy. However, the ban could be bypassed online through use of virtual private networks. In April 2023, ChatGPT, OpenAI's US chatbot, was also banned by Garante over privacy violations for a month. It resulted in a €15 million fine. As DeepSeek's parent companies are not legally established in any member states, data protection authorities in all 26 other members can receive complaints and launch an investigation into them. So far, only Belgian and Irish data protection authorities opened a probes requesting information from DeepSeek on the processing and storage of their citizens' data, though more countries could follow suit.

Italy Bans China's DeepSeek AI Chatbot Over Privacy Fears - Decrypt

Italian data protection authorities have ordered Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to block its chatbot in Italy. The Italian Protection Data Authority, known locally as the Garante, ordered the technology company to cease its alleged operations in Italy on Thursday. The move came shortly after the firm failed to satisfy local regulators' inquiries into its privacy policies, the watchdog said in a statement. DeepSeek has faced plenty of opposition over its data collection practices from western regulators, who say they fear the firm could exploit foreigners' data for espionage and other nefarious purposes. The Garante said that DeepSeek's response to its questions about the company's data collection practices was "totally insufficient." "Contrary to the authority's findings, the companies declared that they do not operate in Italy, and that European legislation does not apply to them,'' the Garante said in its statement. The Garante added that it has opened an investigation into DeepSeek's alleged operations in Italy. A Garante representative did not immediately respond to Decrypt's request for comment. More than 10 million users across the world have downloaded DeepSeek on the Google Play Store, marketplace data shows. DeepSeek is an open-source generative AI chatbot that is claimed to be more advanced than its predecessors, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 and Google's Gemini. The app's powerful, cost-effective technology could loosen GPU chipmaker Nvidia's stranglehold on the AI market, challenging Silicon Valley's dominance in artificial intelligence and Big Tech. Earlier this week, $1 trillion was erased from the NASDAQ 100, the U.S. leading technology stock index, in a single day over fears that much-hyped AI companies and their beneficiaries could suffer from a Chinese AI resurgence. Nvidia itself lost about $600 million in value on Monday alone. Still, regulators and lawmakers across the globe have been rattled by the disruption, especially as questions around DeepSeek's privacy policies remain largely unanswered. French and South Korean authorities on Friday vowed to probe DeepSeek over its data collection practices, French news outlet France 24 reported. Meanwhile, Irish watchdogs have also signaled they would pose questions about how the AI company harvests users' data. DeepSeek told Italian authorities that it had removed its AI assistant from local app stores, but it denied it should be subject to their rules, Garante board member Agostino Ghiglia said Thursday in an interview with Reuters. "Not only did DeepSeek's response not give us any reassurance, it worsened their position, and that's the reason we decided to order the block," Ghiglia said. Although DeepSeek is no longer available for download in Italian app stores, it remains operational for Italian users who had already downloaded the app. The web version of the service also remains operational in Italy, according to Reuters. The Garante is among the most active data protection authorities in the EU. In 2023, the data authority ordered OpenAI to block access to its AI chatbot ChatGPT in Italy due to concerns over the company's alleged violation of EU data privacy rules. Later, the Garante slapped OpenAI with a €15 million fine, after ruling the AI maker had exploited users' personal data to train its chatbot without "an adequate legal basis."

The first stone: Italy blocks DeepSeek over data privacy concerns

Italy's data protection authority, Garante, has blocked the Chinese AI application DeepSeek due to concerns over its handling of user data. The regulator initiated an investigation after the startup failed to provide satisfactory responses regarding its privacy policy. DeepSeek's parent companies, Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, are required to clarify their compliance with the EU's GDPR, including details on data collection, storage, and usage. The Italian data protection authority issued its order on January 31, 2025, aiming to protect local users' data privacy. In a statement, the Garante expressed dissatisfaction with DeepSeek's insufficient explanations regarding the type of personal data collected and its storage location. Despite asserting that they do not operate under Italian jurisdiction, authorities highlighted that DeepSeek had rapidly gained popularity, amassing millions of downloads globally within a few days. In response to Garante's inquiries, the Chinese companies claimed they are not subject to EU regulations and thus not obliged to meet legal obligations. Agostino Ghiglia, a board member of the Garante, noted that DeepSeek's lack of cooperation hindered the discussions. The authority found their claims that European laws did not apply to them troubling, leading to the immediate blockade of their chatbot services in Italy. Garante's order has significant implications, particularly as it has also prompted similar reviews from data regulators in Ireland and Belgium. Both countries have begun probing DeepSeek's data handling practices, indicating that these concerns may be spreading throughout the European Union. The Garante demanded that the companies provide detailed information about their compliance with GDPR within 20 days. Currently, the DeepSeek chatbot is unavailable in Italian app stores, though some users who previously downloaded the application report still receiving responses from the bot. This suggests a lingering availability through existing installations or potential bypasses using virtual private networks, which raises further concerns about local enforcement. Italy's Garante has been proactive among the 31 data protection authorities in Europe regarding the use of artificial intelligence technologies. Just two years prior, the authority temporarily banned OpenAI's ChatGPT over suspected privacy breaches. The previous action resulted in significant scrutiny and a fine of €15 million against OpenAI. The current situation with DeepSeek reflects ongoing tensions between European regulators and non-EU tech companies, particularly those based in jurisdictions with different data protection standards. "Citizens have the right to give their consent based on what you do, or do not do, with their data," Ghiglia stated, emphasizing the incompatibility of Chinese server guarantees with EU expectations. Recently, DeepSeek had a breach exposing over a million lines of log streams including chat history, secret keys, backend details, and other critical information. There were API secrets and operational metadata found in thebreach and DeepSeek has since fixed the security vulnerability. Also, regulators responsible for data in Ireland and France are currently investigating DeepSeek's chatbot privacy policy.

Italy blocks access to DeepSeek to protect users' data

MILAN (AP) -- Italy's data protection authority on Thursday blocked access to the Chinese AI application DeepSeek to protect users' data and announced an investigation into the companies behind the chatbot The authority, called Garante, expressed dissatisfaction with DeepSeek's response to its initial query about what personal data is collected, where it is stored and how users are notified. "Contrary to the authority's findings, the companies declared that they do not operate in Italy, and that European legislation does not apply to them," the statement said, noting that the app had been downloaded by millions of people around the globe in just a few days. DeepSeek's new chatbot has raised the stakes in the AI technology race, rattling markets and catching up with American generative AI leaders at a fraction of the cost.

DeepSeek blocked by some app stores in Italy to protect users' personal data

MILAN -- Italy's data protection authority on Thursday blocked access to the Chinese AI application DeepSeek to protect users' data and announced an investigation into the companies behind the chatbot. The authority, called Garante, expressed dissatisfaction with DeepSeek's response to its initial query about what personal data is collected, where it is stored and how users are notified. "Contrary to the authority's findings, the companies declared that they do not operate in Italy, and that European legislation does not apply to them,'' the statement said, noting that the app had been downloaded by millions of people around the globe in just a few days.

Italy's Watchdog Blocks AI App DeepSeek Over Data-Privacy Concerns, Launches Probe

The Italian Data Protection Authority said it blocked access to Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek with immediate effect amid data-protection concerns. The watchdog said Thursday that the restraining order was issued after Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, the Chinese companies that provide the DeepSeek chatbot service, allegedly failed to provide information regarding what personal data is collected, the sources used, the purposes pursued, the legal basis of the processing, and whether they are stored on servers located in China. "Contrary to the authority's findings, the companies stated that they do not operate in Italy and that European regulations do not apply to them," the authority, commonly known as Garante, said. Garante simultaneously opened an investigation, without disclosing further details. DeepSeek recently disrupted the tech market after saying it had developed AI models that nearly matched American rivals despite using inferior chips, with its AI chatbot being downloaded by millions of people in just a few days.

DeepSeek blocked by some app stores in Italy to protect users' personal data

MILAN (AP) -- Italy's data protection authority on Thursday blocked access to the Chinese AI application DeepSeek to protect users' data and announced an investigation into the companies behind the chatbot. The authority, called Garante, expressed dissatisfaction with DeepSeek's response to its initial query about what personal data is collected, where it is stored and how users are notified. "Contrary to the authority's findings, the companies declared that they do not operate in Italy, and that European legislation does not apply to them,'' the statement said, noting that the app had been downloaded by millions of people around the globe in just a few days.

Business - Italy blocks DeepSeek over data privacy concerns

Italy's data protection agency has moved to block the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek after its developers failed to hand over information about how personal data is collected and whether it's stored on Chinese servers. The French privacy watchdog also says it's questioning DeepSeek. Plus, luxury cars, designer bags and gold bars were among some 300 items that went under the hammer in an auction of confiscated goods held by France's anti-fraud agency.