If you were anywhere close to a news source last week, you must have heard of DeepSeek. This Chinese company that led to a tech stock crash in the US market questioned the supremacy of OpenAI and gave the world a free and much more powerful alternative to ChatGPT with its R1 model. But now, companies and countries around the world have either already or are in the process of imposing bans on the use of DeepSeek models. Let’s explore more about this ban and how is it going to impact us!
Why is DeepSeek Getting Banned?
DeepSeek being a Chinese LLM, faces tough scrutiny around the world. Countries and companies have trust issues with the way Chinese apps conduct and hence a ban of DeepSeek is their response to its growing popularity. Here are several reasons why, DeepSeek is getting banned:
Data Access and Control
DeepSeek’s data storage practices, including storing user data in China, have raised fears that the Chinese government could access sensitive information. This potential access is particularly concerning for government agencies and critical infrastructure operators.
Censorship Mechanisms
DeepSeek’s compliance with Chinese government censorship policies, including the suppression of politically sensitive topics, has led to concerns about the dissemination of information and potential foreign influence. For example, it won’t answer any question regarding Chinese Premier “Xi Jinping”
User Data Handling
DeepSeek’s data collection methods have drawn criticism from privacy watchdogs in various countries, including Ireland, France, and Belgium. These concerns focus on how user data is collected, stored, and potentially shared, raising questions about compliance with local data protection regulations.
Influence Operations
There are apprehensions that DeepSeek could be used for foreign influence operations, such as spreading disinformation or surveillance, leveraging its AI capabilities. This concern is heightened by the company’s ties to China, a nation with which several countries have complex geopolitical relationships.
Data Sovereignty
Countries are emphasizing the need for AI companies to comply with local data sovereignty laws, ensuring that data generated within their borders is stored and processed domestically. DeepSeek’s data storage practices may not align with these requirements, prompting regulatory actions.
Tech Competitiveness
Along with these, an issue that is often overlooked is DeepSeek questioning the supremacy of popular LLMs by OpenAI, Google, Meta, Mistral, and Claude. The leading tech companies across the USA and the world were not happy with the overnight success of DeepSeek’s R1. This model has demonstrated performance comparable to leading LLMs like GPT-4o and Claude-3.5-Sonnet but at a fraction of the development cost. This has disrupted the AI industry by offering more accessible and cost-effective alternatives, potentially threatening the market share of incumbent tech giants.
Also Read: How is DeepSeek Making Money?
Which Countries are Banning DeepSeek?
A few countries in the last few days have declared bans or are discussing restrictions on the use of DeepSeek. Some of these countries are:
- Italy: Italy’s Data Protection Authority has ordered a nationwide ban on DeepSeek, preventing its download from app stores due to concerns over data privacy and non-compliance with European regulations.
- Taiwan: Taiwan has banned DeepSeek across all public sector organizations, including schools, state-owned enterprises, and critical infrastructure, citing risks to national information security.
- Australia: The Australian government has banned DeepSeek from all government systems and devices, citing national security risks. Operators of critical infrastructure have been advised to avoid using DeepSeek technologies.
- United States: Agencies such as NASA and the Pentagon have advised against using DeepSeek due to security concerns. Texas has issued a state ban on government-issued devices for DeepSeek, along with other Chinese tech companies.
- South Korea: South Korea’s ministries, including the defense and foreign ministries, have restricted access to DeepSeek on government computers due to security concerns.
- India: India’s finance ministry has recommended that employees avoid using AI tools like DeepSeek for official purposes, citing risks to the confidentiality of government documents and data.
- Belgium, France, and Ireland: Data protection authorities in these countries are investigating DeepSeek’s data handling practices, which could lead to potential bans.
- Netherlands: The Dutch privacy watchdog is also planning to launch an investigation into the data collection concerns surrounding DeepSeek and has advised caution to its citizens with its use.
What is DeepSeek’s response?
DeepSeek has taken steps to address the growing number of bans and restrictions:
- Engagement with Regulators: DeepSeek has engaged with various national data protection authorities to address concerns about its data handling practices.
- Policy Revisions: The company has updated its privacy policies to provide greater transparency regarding data collection, storage, and usage.
- Technical Adjustments: DeepSeek has made technical modifications to its platform to enhance data security and comply with international data protection standards.
Despite these efforts, many governments and organizations remain cautious, emphasizing the need for rigorous assessments to ensure that DeepSeek’s operations do not compromise national security or user privacy.
End Note
These actions reflect a growing global apprehension regarding DeepSeek’s data handling practices and their potential implications for national security and user privacy. Organizations and governments are increasingly cautious about integrating foreign-developed AI technologies into their systems without thorough assessments of associated risks.
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Anu Madan has 5+ years of experience in content creation and management. Having worked as a content creator, reviewer, and manager, she has created several courses and blogs. Currently, she working on creating and strategizing the content curation and design around Generative AI and other upcoming technology.
