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