A new Chinese AI app, DeepSeek, has been making headlines for its advanced chatbot features and low-cost operations.
It has even surpassed ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app on the Apple Store.
However, concerns have emerged regarding censorship and data privacy.
DeepSeek vs. Other AI Models
DeepSeek’s reasoning model, R1, is said to require only $5.6 million in computing power, compared to OpenAI’s GPT-4, which reportedly costs around $100 million.
Despite being a strong competitor to ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Meta AI, DeepSeek appears to limit responses on sensitive topics.
What Topics Does DeepSeek Censor?
Tests have shown that DeepSeek avoids answering questions about politically sensitive topics, especially those concerning China.
For example:
China’s Zero-COVID Policies: When asked about public support for these policies, DeepSeek started answering but then erased its response, replacing it with: “Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else.”
White Paper Protests: When asked in Chinese about these protests, DeepSeek didn’t even attempt an answer.
Instead, it immediately responded with: “I haven’t yet learned how to think about this type of question.”
Russia-Ukraine War: While DeepSeek provides historical context in English, it avoids calling Russia’s actions an “invasion,” instead using terms favored by the Chinese government.
Indo-China War & Border Issues: Questions related to the India-China war or territorial disputes like Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir were met with: “Beyond my current scope.”
Xinjiang Human Rights Issues: Instead of addressing human rights concerns, DeepSeek only gives general information about Xinjiang’s culture.
China’s Leadership: Questions about President Xi Jinping or other Chinese political figures often result in vague or deflected answers.
Is DeepSeek Safe to Use?
Privacy experts have raised red flags about DeepSeek’s data policies. Former U.S.
President Donald Trump called it a “wake-up call” but didn’t suggest it was a national security threat.
However, Australian officials warned users to be cautious about how the app handles data.
What Data Does DeepSeek Collect?
According to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, the app collects:
- Usernames, email addresses, and birth dates
- Chat history, text, and audio inputs
- Device information, IP address, and even keystroke patterns
Most concerningly, all collected data is stored on servers in China, raising fears about potential misuse.
Global Concerns and Investigations
Italy’s Data Investigation: Italian regulators have launched an investigation into DeepSeek due to possible risks to user data.
India’s Security Worries: Indian authorities are closely monitoring the app, given its Chinese origins and the risk of data breaches.
India had previously banned several Chinese apps, including TikTok and WeChat, over security concerns.
Cybersecurity Issues
Since its launch on January 20, DeepSeek has already faced a large-scale cyberattack, forcing it to limit new registrations.
This incident has raised further questions about the app’s security and reliability.
Final Thoughts
While DeepSeek’s AI capabilities are impressive, its censorship practices and data policies raise major concerns.
With investigations underway in multiple countries, users should be cautious about sharing personal data with the app.
If privacy and freedom of information matter to you, it might be best to think twice before using DeepSeek.
