South Korean Authorities Suspend DeepSeek App Amid Data Privacy Concerns
The South Korean authorities announced on Monday, February 17, the suspension of the DeepSeek app from local stores, pending an investigation into the Chinese startup's handling of personal data. This decision comes after the recent launch of DeepSeek's chatbot, which has positioned itself as a competitor to artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT.
The investigation aims to verify whether DeepSeek complies with local privacy laws. The startup has acknowledged certain shortcomings and needs time to correct them, hence the app's removal. However, the app remains functional for users who have already downloaded it, with a recommendation to exercise caution.
Seoul's decision echoes similar measures taken by other countries, such as Italy, France, Australia, and Taiwan, which have expressed concerns about the potential risks of data transmission to Chinese authorities. The European Union and the United States have also initiated examination and restriction procedures.
DeepSeek's R1 model, despite being high-performing and cost-effective, continues to raise questions about data security and privacy protection.
