Germany to Apple, Google: Block DeepSeek from app stores because…

A German

data protection

watchdog has asked Apple and Google to block the Chinese artificial intelligence service

DeepSeek

from their app stores, a report claims. The regulator has alleged that DeepSeek’s app illegally transmits user data to China. According to a report by CNBC, Meike Kamp, Berlin’s data protection commissioner, has alleged that DeepSeek’s transfer of German user data to China is “unlawful.” DeepSeek gained attention earlier his year after launching an AI model that it claimed to have developed at a significantly lower cost than rival models, utilising less advanced Nvidia chips. The company also offers its global chatbot AI app, which has been downloaded millions of times, drawing scrutiny. As per the report, experts suggest that if the German case against DeepSeek advances, it could potentially result in an EU-wide ban for the app.

What German regulators said about DeepSeek

“DeepSeek has not been able to convincingly demonstrate to my authority that the data of German users is protected in China at a level equivalent to that of the European Union. Chinese authorities have extensive access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies,” German regulator Kamp said (translated by CNBC).Under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), companies are not allowed to transfer data outside the region unless appropriate safeguards are in place in the destination countries that align with GDPR standards.

The Berlin data protection commissioner is specifically concerned that German user data sent by DeepSeek to China could be accessed by Chinese authorities.The Berlin data watchdog also noted that it had notified Apple and Google about the alleged violations and expects the two US tech companies to conduct a "timely review" to determine whether the app should remain on their platforms.However, the report didn’t mention whether Google and Apple will act on the request.