Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ban DeepSeek AI Chatbot from US Government Devices

Two House members are unveiling a bill that would ban DeepSeek's AI apps from US government devices. The bill aims to prevent China from accessing sensitive information, similar to the TikTok ban.

Concerns Over Data Security

Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Republican Rep. Darin LaHood of Illinois introduced the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act" amid worries that users are sharing confidential data with the chatbot, including contracts and financial records.

Privacy Policy and Data Storage

DeepSeek's rise in the market caused a stir on Wall Street recently. The company claims its new R1 model can compete with US counterparts like OpenAI but with lower training costs. However, concerns arise from DeepSeek's privacy policy stating that user data is stored in China, raising fears of potential access by the Chinese Communist Party.

Hidden Code Discovery

Research from Toronto-based cybersecurity firm Feroot Security revealed that DeepSeek's AI program contains a hidden code that can transmit user data to CMPassport.com, an online registry for China Mobile. This finding has sparked worries about the CCP accessing sensitive information.

Global Response

Following Australia's ban on DeepSeek from government devices due to national security concerns, Italy's data protection authority also instructed DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country. LaHood and Gottheimer's bill reflects similar actions taken against TikTok, highlighting the need to safeguard sensitive data from foreign entities.

Legislative Precedent

This move echoes previous efforts to restrict TikTok in the US. In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed a bill prohibiting federal employees from using the app on government devices. Subsequently, the Biden administration implemented a ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, divested the platform.

As the debate unfolds, the fate of DeepSeek on US government devices remains uncertain. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.

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By: rscammell@businessinsider.com (Robert Scammell,Thibault Spirlet,Bryan Metzger)
Title: Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ban DeepSeek AI Chatbot from US Government Devices
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/deepseek-bill-ban-government-devices-2025-2
Published Date: Thu, 06 Feb 2025 17:19:53 +0000