Germany accuses DeepSeek of data theft. The company is suspected of sending sensitive information to China, violating GDPR. The app may face a ban in the EU, and Apple-Google have been instructed to remove it.
DeepSeek: China's artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek now appears to be in deep trouble in Europe. German data protection authorities have made serious accusations against the company for sending sensitive data of German users to China. This has increased the possibility of a complete ban on this AI app in Europe.
Mieke Kamp, Berlin's Data Protection Officer, has explicitly stated that DeepSeek has failed to prove that it is operating in accordance with EU (European Union) data protection standards. Kamp says that the company is taking an unsatisfactory approach to protecting the privacy of its users.
What is DeepSeek and why is there a controversy?
DeepSeek is an emerging AI company that provides chatbot-based services. Its technology is based on GPT-like generative AI models. This app is becoming very popular in Europe and America because it gives fast and simple answers for free.
But amidst this popularity, DeepSeek is now surrounded by serious allegations of data privacy violations. Germany alleges that this app sends users' information — such as chat data, location, device information, and IP address — directly to China, where there is a possibility of government surveillance.
Violation of European Data Law (GDPR)
According to Germany, this attitude of DeepSeek is a direct violation of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Under GDPR, any data can be sent across borders only when the country has implemented privacy protection measures that are equivalent to or better than those of the EU.
But there are no such equivalent levels of data protection laws in China. In addition, the Chinese government has the legal right to demand user data from any Chinese company, which further endangers the privacy of users.
Mieke Kamp's strict statement
Speaking to CNBC, Berlin's data protection commissioner, Mieke Kamp, said, 'DeepSeek has not been able to assure that the data of German users is safe according to European laws. The legal system of China forces Chinese companies to share user data, which is against GDPR.'
She also made it clear that if the situation does not improve, the app could be banned in the entire European Union.
Ultimatum to Apple and Google
In this case, the German administration has also sent a notice to Apple and Google. Both have been requested to immediately remove or review the DeepSeek app from the App Store and Play Store.
If these companies remove it from their platforms, this step will act as an effective ban throughout the EU, as most users use these two mediums to download apps.
What is DeepSeek's reaction?
DeepSeek has issued a brief statement saying that: 'We fully respect the privacy of our users and are committed to complying with all the rules under GDPR. We are cooperating with the regulators.'
However, experts believe that the company will now have to establish its servers in Europe or adopt legal safeguards for data transfer, such as Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs).
What should users do?
- Check DeepSeek's app permissions — Limit sensitive settings like microphone, camera, and location.
- Request data deletion — If you are a DeepSeek user, follow the process to delete your account and remove data.
- Adopt European AI alternatives — Such as Aleph Alpha, Mistral, or Perplexity AI, which comply with EU data protection laws.
