DeepSeek app faces South Korea ban over data privacy issues
On Monday, South Korea authorities announced that the DeepSeek app will not be available in local app stores until the service's information collection policies comply with national personal data protection regulations.
According to a decision by the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), DeepSeek is available in South Korea, but users will not be able to download the app to smartphones.
Current users are strongly advised to use the service cautiously until the final results are announced. This includes refraining from entering personal data when using DeepSeek, the PIPC stated in a release.
The decision took effect on Saturday evening after several ministries and government agencies blocked internal access to the AI service. Concerns about DeepSeek's data management justified this action. AFP reported that the Chinese company "accepted" the authorities' decision in Seoul.
As recently as January, the PIPC sent a formal request to DeepSeek for clarification on its data collection and management methods. The company admitted that so far "some principles" concerning personal data protection had not been taken into account.
Authorities from several countries, including Italy, the Netherlands, and the USA, have openly expressed concerns about the risks associated with using the DeepSeek chatbot, including the transmission of data directly to China, where Beijing authorities may access it. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has banned the installation of DeepSeek's chatbots on government administration equipment.
The Chinese government criticized the actions of various institutions and governments aimed at limiting the use of DeepSeek, claiming that "we have never asked and will never ask any company or individual to collect or store data illegally."
