Australian ministers warn of privacy and security risks in DeepSeek adoption
Australian government ministers including Clare O'Neil and Ed Husic warned the public about privacy and security risks associated with DeepSeek, a Chinese-owned AI chatbot launched in January 2025. National security agencies are investigating the app, which collects personal data including birth dates, email addresses, and keystroke information that is stored in China.
What happened
Australian cabinet minister Clare O'Neil urged Australians to exercise caution when using DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot launched on January 20, 2025, and to avoid sharing personal information with the app.
DeepSeek's privacy policy states the app collects data such as date of birth, email address, text and audio input, files, and keystroke information and stores it in China.
Science Minister Ed Husic agreed the government should be upfront and direct about privacy concerns surrounding DeepSeek. National security agencies in Australia are investigating the app and will provide formal advice in the future.
Reported impact
O'Neil stated she would not download DeepSeek personally and described AI more broadly as "a bit scary."
Governance controls
National security agencies are investigating the app's settings and how it works before issuing formal guidance to Australians.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.