The top German data protection authority demanded Apple and Google to delete DeepSeek’s Chinese AI application from their platforms because of privacy concerns.
Commissioner Meike Kamp announced on Friday that DeepSeek transfers user data to Chinese servers without proper EU data protection standards. The regulatory body in Italy and the Netherlands banned or restricted the app following the same pattern of action.
The German data protection agency determined that DeepSeek did not show sufficient evidence about protecting German user data at EU standard levels. She emphasized that Chinese authorities maintain broad powers to access personal data stored by companies operating under their jurisdiction.
The application received worldwide attention during January because it promised to match top U.S. AI models at reduced prices. The fast growth of the application has led European and American lawmakers to explore banning Chinese-developed AI tools from federal agencies.
The German decision to ban DeepSeek could make the application unavailable to European users. Google stated they are assessing the request while the company chose not to provide any comments. Apple has not made any public statement regarding this matter.
The EU governments have started blocking official use of the app while multiple regulatory measures are being evaluated throughout the bloc.
