Australia’s Science Minister Ed Husic is the first Western government official to express worries about DeepSeek. This Chinese-developed chatbot has gained popularity and sparked enthusiasm and skepticism in the IT industry. Despite the app’s quick global adoption—millions of downloads have been made quickly—privacy activists caution that there may be serious hazards to user data.
What Are the Data Harvesting and Privacy Concerns with DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is under investigation for its ties to the Chinese government, like other Chinese tech companies like Huawei and TikTok. With China’s history of utilizing technology for surveillance, there are rising concerns that the app may be used to obtain personal information for intelligence reasons. Due to concerns about its privacy methods, the chatbot—which has been quite popular in areas including the US and the UK—has drawn warnings from experts.
Regarding the growing worries about the app, former President Donald Trump said, “DeepSeek is a wake-up call for the US.” Trump did not, however, label it a threat to national security. Instead, he pointed out that it might be advantageous to lower expenses in the technology industry, which, with appropriate management, might be a good result.
Why Is Minister Husic Calling for Caution?
Ed Husic of Australia has been more circumspect in his evaluation. Although there is no denying DeepSeek’s popularity, Husic said in a public statement that there are still many unresolved issues about the app’s data gathering and privacy practices. “I would exercise extreme caution in that regard. These kinds of matters must be properly considered,” he stated, stressing the importance of being watchful over handling users’ personal information.
Husic’s warning is based on DeepSeek’s privacy policy, which describes the company’s vast data harvesting methods. The policy states that when users create accounts, the chatbot gathers personal data such as phone numbers, email addresses, and birth dates. DeepSeek also records all user interactions, including chat history and text and audio inputs. Additionally, it gathers technical information about users, including their IP addresses, phone models, operating systems, and even “keystroke patterns.”
What Are the Concerns About DeepSeek’s Data Privacy Policy?
According to DeepSeek’s privacy statement, the data gathered is kept on “secure servers” in China and utilized to enhance the app’s “safety, security, and stability.” Nevertheless, the policy also specifies that user data would be kept “for as long as necessary.” It may be shared with advertising partners, service providers, and other company corporate group members.
Lauren Hendry Parsons, digital privacy advocate for ExpressVPN, has voiced serious concerns about the ramifications of DeepSeek’s data practices. She noted that one specific provision in the privacy policy permits the usage of user data “to help match you and your actions outside of the service.” “Anyone who is worried about their privacy should be alarmed by this right away,” Parsons cautioned.
How Is DeepSeek Different from Other AI Services?
Experts contend that despite the grave privacy issues, DeepSeek’s data-gathering methods are not wholly distinct from other AI businesses. According to Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs, “For any openly available AI model, with a web or app interface – including but not limited to DeepSeek – the prompts or questions that are asked of the AI then become available to the makers of that model, as are the answers.” “Those risks must be understood by anyone working on sensitive or national security areas,” she continued.
Many worries expressed over DeepSeek’s data collection concern competing services like ChatGPT, Gemini, and other social media sites. To improve their algorithms, these services frequently gather enormous volumes of personal data, exposing many users to possible privacy violations without their knowledge.
Similar worries were expressed by Dr. Richard Whittle of the University of Salford, who said that although he is leery of DeepSeek’s data practices, there are “plenty of concerns” with AI models created in the US as well. He advised users to exercise caution, especially when there is an unexpected spike in the popularity of new programs. “Consumers should always be wary, especially in the hype and fear of missing out on a new, highly popular app,” Whittle stated.
What Are Regulatory Bodies Saying About Transparency in Data Collection?
Regulators in the UK are working harder to ensure AI developers are open and honest with users about how their data is used in response to growing data privacy concerns. In addition to stressing the significance of ensuring users are adequately informed about their rights, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has urged greater transparency in data-gathering procedures.
The Information Commissioner’s office said, “Generative AI developers and deployers need to make sure people have meaningful, concise, and easily accessible information about the use of their personal data and have clear and effective processes for enabling people to exercise their information rights.” The ICO also threatened to take action against businesses that don’t live up to regulatory standards and promised to keep interacting with stakeholders to support successful transparency initiatives.
What Does the Future Hold for DeepSeek?
With three million downloads, DeepSeek’s explosive growth isn’t slowing down. It is three times more popular than its rivals, including Perplexity, with 80% of those downloads happening in the last week alone. However, the app’s data privacy policies will probably continue to be a significant concern as its popularity grows. For now, experts and authorities advise users to exercise caution and knowledge while navigating this novel and quickly changing field of AI-driven technology.
