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Report: Commerce Department Bans Use of DeepSeek on Government Devices | PYMNTS.com

Mar 18, 2025 - pymnts.com
The Department of Commerce has banned the use of DeepSeek’s AI model on government-furnished equipment due to concerns about the Chinese company accessing sensitive information. Staffers were instructed not to interact with any DeepSeek-related apps or websites. Similar concerns have been raised by other U.S. officials, with New York, Virginia, and Texas banning DeepSeek from government devices. Legislation to outlaw DeepSeek on government devices was introduced by U.S. lawmakers Rep. Darin LaHood and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, citing links between DeepSeek’s code and the Chinese Communist Party, as well as data sharing with China Mobile.

Internationally, countries like Australia, Italy, and Taiwan have banned DeepSeek, while France, South Korea, Ireland, and Belgium are considering similar actions. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service highlighted DeepSeek’s data collection practices, which include storing user chat records and keyboard input patterns, potentially identifying individuals. Cybersecurity firm AppSOC reported that DeepSeek’s AI model poses threats such as facilitating virus generation and producing harmful language, leading them to advise against its use in sensitive or intellectual property contexts.

Key takeaways:

  • The Department of Commerce has banned the use of DeepSeek's AI model on government-furnished equipment due to concerns about Chinese access to sensitive information.
  • New York, Virginia, and Texas have banned DeepSeek from government devices, and legislation has been introduced to outlaw it on government devices nationwide.
  • Countries like Australia, Italy, and Taiwan have banned DeepSeek, while others like France, South Korea, Ireland, and Belgium are considering similar measures.
  • Cybersecurity concerns include DeepSeek's potential to generate viruses, malware, and harmful language, with data being transmitted to Chinese servers.
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