DeepSeek: Data Privacy Concerns Stir International Tensions

South Korea's spy agency accuses Chinese AI app DeepSeek of excessive data collection and misleading answers on sensitive issues. Government agencies are urged to take security precautions, with some ministries blocking access. Agencies highlight data storage risks on Chinese servers and different app responses across languages.

South Korea's intelligence agency has raised alarms about the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, accusing it of excessively gathering personal data. The agency suspects the app uses all input data for training and has flagged its inconsistent responses to questions touching on national pride.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has officially advised government entities to implement security measures concerning DeepSeek. An NIS statement released on Sunday confirms that unlike other AI services, DeepSeek's chat records can be transferred, collecting keyboard input patterns to identify users and communicating with Chinese servers.

Reacting to these security threats, some South Korean government ministries have restricted access to the app, aligning themselves with Australia and Taiwan's stance. Concerns have escalated over DeepSeek's data storage practices on Chinese servers, potentially compromised by Chinese legal requirements. Meanwhile, the Chinese government maintains its commitment to legal data privacy and security protocols.