Italy requests DeepSeek data on training and user privacy practices
Italy's data protection authority requested information from DeepSeek about data collection, training practices, and user notification regarding web scraping, citing potential risks to millions of people's personal data. DeepSeek subsequently faced a service suspension in Italy after reportedly failing to provide the requested information.
What happened
On 29 January 2025, Italy's Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali (Data Protection Authority) sent a request to Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, demanding information about the chatbot's data collection and processing practices.
The Garante asked the companies to confirm what personal data is collected, from what sources, for what purposes, the legal basis for processing, and whether data is stored on servers located in China. The authority also sought clarification on what information is used to train the AI system and, if personal data is collected through web scraping, how users are informed of this practice.
Reported impact
The Italian Data Protection Authority cited a possible high risk to the personal data of millions of people in Italy as the basis for its inquiry. DeepSeek's data collection practices have drawn scrutiny in Europe, with Ireland's Data Protection Commission also requesting information about how the service processes Irish users' data.
Index analysis
DeepSeek collects personal data in three categories: information directly provided by users (such as account details, birthdates, email addresses, and phone numbers), text or audio queries, and metadata including device model information. The service stores this data on servers in China, raising concerns about processing outside EU jurisdiction.
Governance controls
The Italian authority gave the companies 20 days to respond to the information request. Italy subsequently suspended access to the DeepSeek application, citing the company's failure to provide the requested information within the deadline.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.