DeepSeek is again under the spotlight for privacy issues. Italy had already taken the app off its stores, and the Netherlands banned it from use on government devices. Belgium has also warned officials not to use it, and Spain is now investigating the app. The UK is keeping an eye on it and may act if risks are found.
The main concern? The app may be sending user data to servers in China without proper safety measures.
DeepSeek became popular in January after claiming it created a powerful AI tool at a lower cost than ChatGPT. But now, European countries are questioning how it handles user privacy.
Germany’s data commissioner, Meike Kamp, says DeepSeek hasn’t shown clear proof that it protects user data according to EU rules. Its policy says personal data—like prompts and uploads—is stored on servers in China, which could be accessed by Chinese authorities.
In May, Germany told DeepSeek to follow EU data protection rules or stop offering its app.Since the company didn’t respond, Germany asked Apple and Google to step in. Google is reviewing the request. Apple hasn’t commented, and DeepSeek has stayed silent.
In the U.S., lawmakers are also preparing a bill to ban Chinese AI tools like DeepSeek in government offices. A report even links the app to China’s military and intelligence activities.
