In brief
South Korea's government has temporarily banned the popular Chinese A.I. chatbot DeepSeek, citing data protection concerns, amidst rising security fears regarding its use globally.
DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by the Chinese company of the same name, has unexpectedly surged to the top of app store charts since its launch last month. However, on Monday, South Korea announced it would suspend new downloads of the app until it can verify compliance with the nation's personal data protection regulations.While the app is still accessible via web browsers, it has been removed from the Apple and Google app stores in South Korea. This move underscores growing anxieties about DeepSeek's security, censorship practices, and sensitive data management, especially after the app gained immense popularity among South Korean users. The Personal Information Protection Commission reported problems related to how the app manages personal data and indicated that resolving these issues would take some time. To mitigate concerns, DeepSeek has appointed a local representative in South Korea. DeepSeek's rapid rise has sparked discussions on the impact of Chinese tech innovations on the global stage, causing fluctuations in U.S. tech stock markets and raising eyebrows about the effectiveness of American chip export restrictions aimed at limiting Chinese technology advancements. Meanwhile, the Chinese government emphasizes that companies must follow local laws in overseas operations and has urged other countries not to politicize trade and technology issues. With other nations, including Taiwan and Australia, advising government employees against using DeepSeek products, the app's future remains uncertain as global regulatory scrutiny continues.
