German Regulator Demands Apple and Google Block DeepSeek App

A German data protection authority regulator announced on Friday (June 27) that she instructed Apple and Google to block the DeepSeek artificial intelligence-powered chatbot app from their app stores. The Berlin Data Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Meike Kamp, stated that the app is considered “illegal content” due to its violation of European data protection laws.

Kamp explained that the app illegally transfers users’ personal data to China, which does not meet the legal requirements for lawful third-country data transfers under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). DeepSeek collects text entries, chat histories, uploaded files, and information about locations, devices, and networks, transmitting this data to Chinese servers.

The Berlin Data Commissioner contacted Apple and Google after DeepSeek failed to comply with her initial request to remove the app from German app stores, stop the illegal data transfer, or meet the legal requirements for third-country data transfers. Kamp expects both companies to consider a timely blocking of the app.

DeepSeek’s service is subject to GDPR provisions because it is offered to users in Germany and can be used in German. GDPR mandates that Europe’s data protection standards be maintained when personal data is transferred to other countries, and China has not received the necessary approvals from the European Union for such transfers.

In addition to the German regulatory action, DeepSeek faces challenges in the United States. In April, the House Select Committee on China recommended that the U.S. government address the risks posed by Chinese AI models, including DeepSeek. The committee found that DeepSeek presents a threat to U.S. security and recommended expanding export controls and improving enforcement.

The U.S. Department of Commerce also banned the use of DeepSeek’s AI model on government-furnished equipment in March, citing concerns about the Chinese company gaining access to sensitive information.

This regulatory scrutiny highlights the growing concerns over data privacy and security, especially when it comes to cross-border data transfers involving countries with less stringent data protection standards.