South Korea has officially suspended new downloads of Chinese language synthetic intelligence (AI) chatbot DeepSeek within the nation till the carrier makes adjustments to its cellular apps to conform to information coverage rules.
Downloads had been paused as of February 15, 2025, 6:00 p.m. native time, the Non-public Knowledge Coverage Fee (PIPC) stated in a commentary. The internet carrier stays obtainable.
The company stated it commenced its personal research of DeepSeek proper after its release and that it “known some shortcomings in verbal exchange purposes and private data processing insurance policies with third-party carrier suppliers.”
DeepSeek is alleged to have just lately appointed an area consultant, in step with PIPC, with the corporate additionally acknowledging it had didn’t take into accounts home privateness regulations when launching the carrier.
To that finish, downloads of DeepSeek are being paused till the corporate implements the essential enhancements that deliver the carrier in compliance with the Non-public Knowledge Coverage Act.
“This brief suspension of the DeepSeek app restricts new app downloads from the app marketplace, and we ask current customers to make use of it cautiously, reminiscent of now not coming into non-public data within the DeepSeek enter window (urged) till the overall effects are introduced,” the company famous.
Moreover, PIPC intends to verify compliance and enhance steerage to be able to save you identical lapses from happening sooner or later.
The improvement comes in a while after South Korea’s Nationwide Intelligence Carrier (NIS) referred to as out the carrier for “excessively” gathering non-public information and the use of the tips to coach its AI programs.
In fresh weeks, DeepSeek’s Android and iOS apps have additionally been discovered to include safety weaknesses that permit positive information to be despatched to its servers in unencrypted structure.
Beijing has in the past stated it lets in web firms internationally to perform within the nation so long as they apply native regulations and rules, and that it will by no means ask any corporate or particular person to assemble or retailer information in breach of regulations..