Italian regulators have taken action against DeepSeek, making the Chinese AI chatbot unavailable for download in Italy's Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The move comes as data protection authorities demand answers about the company's data handling practices.
Users attempting to download the app in Italy now receive messages indicating the application is "currently not available in the country" on Apple's platform and that downloads are "not supported" through Google's store.
The Italian Data Protection Authority (GPDP) has given DeepSeek's parent companies 20 days to provide detailed information about their data collection and processing methods. Key concerns include what personal data is gathered, its sources, intended uses, and whether information is stored on servers in China.
The action follows DeepSeek's rapid rise to become the most downloaded free app in several countries, offering AI capabilities comparable to ChatGPT at lower costs. The app's privacy policy confirms that user data is stored on servers located in mainland China.
Adding to regulatory concerns, OpenAI has raised allegations that DeepSeek may have inappropriately used their technology through a process called "distillation" - condensing larger AI models into smaller ones.
The Italian watchdog's intervention mirrors its previous action against ChatGPT in 2023, when it temporarily blocked the service over privacy concerns. The Irish Data Protection Commission has also joined in scrutinizing DeepSeek, requesting information about data processing related to Irish users.
This regulatory scrutiny comes amid broader concerns about data security and Chinese companies' obligations under national intelligence laws, which require organizations to cooperate with state intelligence efforts.