South Korea halts downloads of Chinese AI app DeepSeek over data privacy concerns
Feb 18, 2025 - businesstoday.in
South Korea has temporarily banned new downloads of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek due to concerns over its handling of personal data, as announced by the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC). The ban, effective from Saturday, will remain until DeepSeek complies with South Korea's data protection laws. Despite the ban on downloads, DeepSeek's web service is still accessible in the country. The Chinese startup has appointed legal representatives in South Korea and acknowledged not fully considering the local data protection regulations.
This is not the first time DeepSeek has faced privacy issues; Italy's data protection authority previously ordered the company to block its chatbot in Italy over similar concerns. In response to South Korea's restrictions, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry emphasized that China takes data privacy seriously and does not require companies to collect or store data illegally.
Key takeaways:
South Korea has temporarily banned new downloads of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek due to privacy concerns.
The ban will remain until DeepSeek complies with South Korea's data protection laws, although its web service is still accessible.
DeepSeek has faced similar privacy issues in Italy, where it was ordered to block its chatbot over unresolved privacy policy concerns.
The Chinese government claims it does not request companies to collect or store data illegally, in response to South Korea's restrictions on DeepSeek.
