Multiple Western nations block DeepSeek over data privacy concerns
Multiple Western nations, including the United States, Italy, France, Ireland, and South Korea, blocked or launched investigations into Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek over concerns about user data stored on Chinese servers and reported data leaks. U.S. Department of Defense officials blocked employee access after personnel had connected official computers to the service.
What happened
U.S. Department of Defense personnel connected official computers to Chinese servers to access the new DeepSeek R1 chatbot released on January 20, 2025. The Defense Information Systems Agency blocked access to DeepSeek on January 28, 2025.
According to DeepSeek's privacy policy, the company stores user data on servers in China and processes it according to Chinese law. A cyberattack against DeepSeek led to over one million records leaking, including software access keys and user query histories.
Italy, France, Ireland, and South Korea announced investigations and blocks on DeepSeek access. Italy removed DeepSeek from App Store and Google Play. U.S. Congressional representatives were also prohibited from using the service.
Reported impact
Government agencies across multiple Western nations identified data privacy risks associated with DeepSeek's data processing practices in China. Hundreds of companies worldwide have moved to block access to DeepSeek due to concerns about potential data leaks to China.
Index analysis
The incident reflects concerns that U.S. and Western government personnel may have inadvertently exposed sensitive information by accessing a Chinese AI service that processes and stores user data in China under Chinese legal jurisdiction.
Governance controls
U.S. Department of Defense implemented a block on DeepSeek access across its networks. Multiple governments launched regulatory investigations into DeepSeek's data practices and compliance with data protection standards.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.