Growing Security Concerns over DeepSeek’s Ties to China
Amidst growing security concerns, US lawmakers are intensifying calls to ban the DeepSeek AI chatbot from government devices. The bipartisan effort comes after an independent analysis by Feroot Security revealed that DeepSeek’s code sends user data directly to the Chinese government-owned China Mobile.
“We see direct links to servers and companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government,” Feroot analyst Ivan Tsarynny told ABC News. “This is something we’ve never seen before.” Tsarynny further warned the Wall Street Journal that “Our personal information is being sent to China, there is no denial, and the DeepSeek tool is collecting everything that American users connect to it.”
Proposed Legislation and Government Bans
In response to these concerns, US Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), senior members of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, plan to introduce the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act.” This move echoes Congress’ blocking of TikTok from government devices in 2022, which paved the way for a potential US-wide ban on the app.
Several government agencies and states have already taken action. The US Navy and NASA have banned DeepSeek from their employees’ devices, while Texas is the only state to have blocked the app from government devices. Additionally, Italy, South Korea, and Australia have already banned the app nationwide.
National Security Concerns and Calls for Investigation
Lawmakers have expressed grave concerns about the national security implications of DeepSeek’s potential ties to the Chinese government. Rep. LaHood warned, “The national security threat that DeepSeek — a CCP-affiliated company — poses to the United States is alarming. DeepSeek’s generative AI program acquires the data of US users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP. Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data.”
Rep. Gottheimer echoed these sentiments, stating, “We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek’s malign activities. We simply can’t risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security.”
As the popularity of DeepSeek continues to rise, with the chatbot recently becoming the most downloaded app in the US, lawmakers are determined to address the potential risks it poses to American interests and national security.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/us-lawmakers-want-deepseek-banned-from-government-devices-212230100.html?src=rss
