On Friday, January 31, the Dutch data protection authority, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP), announced that they would be investigating the data collection practices of the Chinese artificial intelligence company, DeepSeek. They have urged users in the Netherlands to be cautious in using the company’s applications.
According to Reuters, AP Chairman Aleid Wolfsen stated in a release that “the reason for issuing this warning is because DeepSeek’s privacy policy and its use of personal information have raised serious concerns among the public.”
The organization emphasized that European citizens’ personal data can only be stored overseas by DeepSeek if the company strictly complies with certain conditions.
Under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data can only be transferred from the EU to other countries if it can be ensured that the country of data recipient will not compromise the level of data protection.
However, DeepSeek’s terms of service explicitly state that its products and services are governed by mainland Chinese law. According to the Chinese national security law, all private enterprises and citizens are required to “support, assist, and cooperate” with government intelligence agencies.
DeepSeek is a recently launched generative artificial intelligence developed by Hangzhou Deep Search Artificial Intelligence Research Limited Company. When the DeepSeek model was unveiled on January 20, the founder and CEO of this startup, 40-year-old Liang Wenfeng, was received by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.
AP has reported that they have been in contact with other regulatory authorities in the EU to exchange information and coordinate further investigations.
The Dutch statement comes after Italy blocked the DeepSeek AI application on Thursday, January 30, citing privacy concerns.
Many countries have expressed concerns about the security risks posed by DeepSeek in terms of user information. Ireland and France have requested DeepSeek to provide information on how user data is handled, while the governments of the UK, Germany, and Australia are reviewing the impact of DeepSeek AI applications on national security.
Taiwan has also issued a directive prohibiting public agencies from using DeepSeek AI services to prevent information security risks.