German regulators have flagged the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, available on both Apple's and Google's app stores, as potentially illegal. The core concern revolves around DeepSeek's data handling practices, which could expose user data to Chinese authorities.
Regulators are worried about the app's compliance with GDPR, particularly around data collection, storage, and processing of EU residents' data. The app's privacy policy states that it collects keystroke patterns, which could be used to identify users. This practice is considered problematic, especially in security-sensitive areas. There are also concerns about the potential for misuse of data by foreign entities, including espionage and cyberattacks.
Several German ministries and corporations are implementing strict measures against cybersecurity threats, including the use of external AI applications. Some have banned the use of external cloud services, while others have outlined specific approved applications, excluding DeepSeek. Major corporations are also restricting the use of DeepSeek and similar applications on corporate devices.
