DeepSeek AI Stores US Data In China

The DeepSeek app has been downloaded more than two million times in less than two weeks. The app topped the download charts in both the Apple and Google play stores on Tuesday.

Like its rivals ChatGPT, Claude and Grok, DeepSeek collects buckets of data. The American rivals store their data in the United States. DeepSeek stores that data in China. In China, the law says a company needs to share that data with the Chinese Communist Party if they ask.

Information collected includes IP addresses and keystroke patterns.

It is possible that the same law that could ban TikTok in 60 days could also be used to ban DeepSeek.

HOWEVER, since the software is open source, shutting down the software would be hard. If someone fired up their own instance of the software, it may be possible to disconnect that instance from China, negating the ban.

Bottom line, unless you are running the model yourself in your own virtual environment, it is best to stay away from it. While the feds have not checked in on this yet, they certainly could use the same regulation that bans TikTok on government owned devices and also on devices used by contractors in support of government contracts, whether the devices are employee owned or company owned. THIS WOULD NOT REQUIRE A NEW LAW.

While we are not attorneys and do not pretend to be one, even on the Internet, we are happy to provide advice as we can.

Credit: NY Post