Italy, Netherlands and Taiwan restrict DeepSeek over data privacy concerns
Italian, Dutch, and Taiwanese regulators restricted access to or use of the DeepSeek AI chatbot citing concerns about personal data collection and transfer to China. Italy's data protection authority blocked the app after DeepSeek failed to provide sufficient information about its data practices, while the Netherlands launched an investigation and Taiwan banned its use by government agencies.
What happened
Italy's Garante (Data Protection Authority) blocked the DeepSeek chatbot application in Italian Apple and Google app stores after the Chinese company failed to provide sufficient information about its personal data collection practices. The regulator requested details about which data is collected, sources, purposes, legal basis, and whether data is stored in China.
The Netherlands' Data Protection Authority (AP) initiated an investigation into personal data transfers to China, citing serious concerns about DeepSeek's privacy policies and how user personal data is processed. Taiwan banned all government agencies and critical infrastructure service providers from using DeepSeek technologies for security reasons.
Reported impact
Experts noted that information transmitted to the DeepSeek application is stored on servers in China and may be used by the Chinese government. Microsoft and OpenAI conducted investigations into the possible unauthorized acquisition of technology data from ChatGPT's developer by a group connected to the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.
Index analysis
The Dutch Data Protection Authority emphasized that transfers of EU citizens' personal data to countries outside the EU are only permitted under strict confidentiality conditions, requiring sufficient guarantees that people maintain control over their personal data. The authority raised questions about whether DeepSeek meets these requirements.
Governance controls
Italy's Garante stated that the blocking decision had immediate effect and an investigation was initiated into DeepSeek's data practices. The Dutch authority called for users to exercise caution when using DeepSeek and warned of concerns regarding the app's privacy policy.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.