Technology

DeepSeek app withdrawn in Italy amid data privacy scrutiny

The Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek became unreachable from Wednesday in Apple and Google’s app stores in Italy, pending an inquiry ordered by the country’s data protection authority into the treatment of its personal data amid a growing frenzy of concern within the European Union.

In a parallel development, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission also contacted DeepSeek for information about how it processes personal data related to users in Ireland. DeepSeek recently released a free AI assistant that it says operates on significantly lower data use and costs than its more established competitors. As of Monday, the app had surged past US-based ChatGPT in downloads from Apple’s App Store, sending shockwaves among technology investors.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1884659020449079619

Pasquale Stanzione, chief of the Italian data regulator, acknowledged the timing of the app’s withdrawal, but was more circumspect about linking it directly with their inquiry. “The news of the withdrawal of the app was only a few hours ago; I cannot say whether it is due to us or not,” he said according to ANSA.

The Italian watchdog, known as the Garante, has opened a deeper investigation into whether DeepSeek meets the standards set by the General Data Protection Regulation. In its inquiry, the Garante seeks to establish what personal data is being processed, where such data originates from, what purposes it is being used for, what the legal basis of the processing is, and whether any of the data sits in China. DeepSeek will have 20 days to answer these questions.

Stanzione said the senators need to have some assurances regarding the protection of underage users, mitigating bias, and the prevention of interference in elections regarding the use of the app.

https://twitter.com/AISitRep/status/1884912035550437377

Notices on the Apple App Store said DeepSeek was “currently not available in the country or region you are in,” while Google’s platform said the download “was not supported” in Italy. Curiously, users in Italy who had already downloaded the app seemed to still have access. DeepSeek also remains downloadable and functional in other European Union countries and the UK.

In Germany, government officials are closely monitoring AI applications for potential interference ahead of the national elections scheduled for February 23. A spokesperson from the interior ministry highlighted concerns about AI’s influence on public opinion, particularly in light of the upcoming Bundestag elections.

Italy’s Garante has been one of Europe’s most proactive watchdogs in terms of AI use, and earlier this year it issued a temporary ban on Microsoft-backed ChatGPT citing suspected violations of EU privacy rules. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission is the lead EU regulator for many of the biggest US internet companies, but DeepSeek has not named Ireland as its EU headquarters.

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