Germany’s data protection commissioner has requested that the China-based AI startup DeepSeek be removed from Apple and Google app stores in the country due to serious concerns about data privacy.
In a statement released Friday, Commissioner Meike Kamp stated that the reason for this request was the allegations that DeepSeek was transferring users’ personal data to China, which violated data protection regulations.
Kamp said that Apple and Google now need to assess the situation and decide whether or not to block the app in Germany. At the time the news was published, neither company commented, and DeepSeek also made no statement.According to DeepSeek’s own privacy policy, the company stores a large amount of personal data, including user queries and uploaded files, on servers located in China.
Kamp made the following statement regarding the matter:
“DeepSeek has not provided convincing evidence that the personal data of German users is protected in China at a level comparable to European Union standards. “…has not been able to provide it.”
He also expressed serious concerns about the extent to which Chinese authorities have access to data from China-based companies.
DeepSeek Was Warned in May
This decision comes after Commissioner Kamp’s call to DeepSeek in May. In that call, the company was asked to meet the legal requirements regarding data transfer outside the EU or voluntarily withdraw its practice. According to the information received, DeepSeek failed to meet these conditions.
DeepSeek came to the fore in January by announcing that it had developed an AI model capable of competing with its US-based rivals such as OpenAI (the developer of ChatGPT) and that it was offering it at a much lower cost.
However, since then, the company’s data security practices have come under increasing scrutiny in both Europe and the US.Increasing Pressure in Europe and the US
- Italy removed DeepSeek from app stores earlier this year due to lack of transparency in data usage.
- Netherlands removed DeepSeek from public devices banned.
- The US Congress is working on a bill aimed at banning the use of artificial intelligence models developed in China by federal agencies.
This week, Reuters also reported in an exclusive news story that DeepSeek may be providing support to China’s military and intelligence operations. This further increased concerns about the company’s data security policies. In light of all these developments, DeepSeek’s future in Germany and Europe in general is now in serious jeopardy.
