DeepSeek Faces Regulatory Scrutiny over Data Protection
Summary:
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI upstart, has attracted the attention of data protection watchdogs in Europe. The Irish and Italian Data Protection Commissions have requested information about DeepSeek's data processing practices concerning Irish and Italian citizens, respectively.
Key Details:
* DeepSeek's data collection and storage occurs in China, raising concerns about legal compliance.
* Euroconsumers, a coalition of European consumer groups, has filed a complaint against DeepSeek in Italy related to GDPR compliance.
* The Italian DPA has requested details regarding personal data collection, sources, usage, legal basis, and server security.
* Euroconsumers has also highlighted the lack of protections and age verification for minors using DeepSeek.
Regulatory Response:
* The European Commission has expressed concern about security, privacy, and censorship issues related to DeepSeek.
* The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK has indicated that DeepSeek will be subject to scrutiny similar to other AI developers.
* The European AI Act is expected to apply to DeepSeek's services in the region.
Additional Questions:
* Some have raised questions about DeepSeek's potential use of data from proprietary models owned by Microsoft and OpenAI.
* The impact of DeepSeek's low infrastructure costs on copyright and intellectual property protection is being examined.
Current Status:
* DeepSeek's apps have been removed from app stores in Italy.
* The company has not yet responded to requests for information or comments regarding the regulatory actions.