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DeepSeek's Data Collection Sparks Privacy Concerns in Asia
Source: DeepSeek

DeepSeek's Data Collection Sparks Privacy Concerns in Asia

Chinese AI firm DeepSeek faces scrutiny over extensive data collection and storage practices on Chinese servers, raising global privacy concerns.

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

SEOUL, South Korea—Chinese AI company DeepSeek is expanding its influence in the AI field but faces criticism over privacy concerns due to its extensive user data collection practices and privacy policy, which stores information on servers in China.

According to the company's privacy policy update dated May 15, 2024, DeepSeek collects user information in two main ways: information directly provided by users and information automatically collected.

The policy states that the company collects personal information, such as email addresses, during account creation.

Recent findings reveal that DeepSeek aggregates all user interactions on servers in China, including conversations, prompts, and uploaded files.

The company's data collection policy includes extensive tracking measures, including device identifiers, IP addresses, and system languages. 

An automated ID system monitors cross-device activity.

The storage of personal information on Chinese servers is raising particular concern among users worldwide.

Recent posts in South Korean communities raise concerns about potential content restrictions. 

There have been reports of errors when searching for topics related to President Xi Jinping or the Tiananmen Square incident.

Furthermore, the policy's data retention guidelines do not specify a precise duration. 

Instead, they state that data will be retained "for as long as necessary" for service provision and legal compliance. 

Depending on interpretation, this could effectively mean permanent data storage.

DeepSeek scans, analyzes, and reviews content, messages, and related metadata for service safety and security, raising additional privacy concerns.

These data collection and storage practices have increased concerns about user privacy and data sovereignty.

In particular, they raise international concerns about the Chinese government's potential access to global users' data.

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

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