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Published 18:23 IST, February 5th 2025

DeepSeek Ban In US: This State First To Stop Chinese App In The Country

The DeepSeek app has raised global data privacy concerns, leading to bans in Italy, Taiwan, and Australia.

Reported by: Business Desk
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DeepSeek surged in popularity to reach the top spot on the App Store. | Image: Reuters

Texas has become the first US state to ban the Chinese AI chatbot, DeepSeek. Governor Greg Abbott recently signed an executive order prohibiting the app from being used on government-issued devices, citing concerns over potential national security risks.

Rising global concerns over DeepSeek

The DeepSeek app, powered by the Chinese startup’s R1 model, has raised alarms across the globe. Despite its viral success, the chatbot app’s data handling practices have come under scrutiny. Countries such as Italy, Taiwan, and Australia have already restricted its use, citing data privacy issues.

One of the biggest concerns is that DeepSeek’s data storage practices could allow sensitive user information to end up in China. Chinese laws mandate that companies must provide data to the government upon request, raising fears that DeepSeek might share data with Chinese authorities. In response to these concerns, several US federal agencies have already issued instructions barring their employees from accessing DeepSeek.

Countries and agencies taking action

The European Union has also raised red flags. Privacy watchdogs from Ireland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands have questioned DeepSeek’s data collection practices. Similarly, government agencies in the US, including the Pentagon, NASA, and the US Navy, have banned the app, stating that it poses security risks. The US House of Representatives has also issued guidelines to prevent the use of DeepSeek on official devices, citing the potential for malicious software infiltration.

Other nations are taking similar actions. Italy, after seeking clarification from DeepSeek on its data practices, removed the app from local app stores. Taiwan and Australia have imposed strict bans on the use of DeepSeek in government and public sector organisations due to concerns over national security and information leakage.

India’s approach to DeepSeek’s data privacy

India is addressing the privacy risks associated with DeepSeek by exploring the possibility of hosting the AI models on local servers. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that concerns related to data privacy can be resolved by using Indian servers to host open-source models, preventing sensitive information from being transferred abroad.

In parallel, India is advancing its own AI capabilities and plans to launch its foundational AI models, which aim to compete with global leaders like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and China’s DeepSeek R1. Vaishnaw highlighted the country’s competitive edge, saying, “The foundational models made in India will be able to compete with the best of the best in the world. With algorithmic efficiency, we can create these models in a much shorter timeframe. We will have a world-class foundational AI model in just a few months.”

Updated 18:23 IST, February 5th 2025