DeepSeek AI Faces EU Backlash as Germany Orders Removal From App Stores Over Data Sharing Concerns

DeepSeek, China's AI chatbot, is facing increased scrutiny after Germany ordered Google and Apple to remove the app from their app stores.The DeepSeek R1 app, which competes with platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini AI, is accused of transmitting user data back to servers in China, generating serious privacy concerns.

Germany is the latest European country to take action, emphasizing the EU's stringent data privacy regulations.These regulations require corporations to clearly open up how customer data is gathered, stored, and used. Authorities are concerned that DeepSeek is not open about how data is managed in China, particularly given the possibility of unlawful access by the government.

This action echoes previous crackdowns in the EU.For example, Meta was forced to adjust its business model in Europe, allowing customers to avoid targeted advertisements on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.The same approach is now being applied to DeepSeek: privacy first, even if it means restricting access.

Experts believe the trouble may not end in Germany.Other European countries may follow suit, resulting in a wider ban of the app throughout the EU.If DeepSeek fails to address these data-sharing difficulties, its global reach could be drastically reduced, leaving it only focused on the Chinese market.

Despite the setback, DeepSeek intends to release its R2 AI model soon, which is expected to be more inexpensive and powerful than OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o. But as the US-China tech rivalry heats up, worldwide trust in Chinese AI models may become as crucial as their characteristics.

Information referenced in this article is from News 18