US moves to ban DeepSeek on government devices over data security fears

Photo : Reuters

US lawmakers want to stop the Chinese AI program DeepSeek from being used on government computers. They worry that it might send secret information to China and could be dangerous for national security.

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Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Darin LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, introduced a new law to ban DeepSeek. They said that the AI program has strong links to the Chinese government and cannot be trusted with important data.

A day before, a cybersecurity company in the US reported that DeepSeek has hidden code that can send user data to China Mobile, a company owned by the Chinese government. This has made people more worried about the risks of using DeepSeek.

DeepSeek is a chatbot made by a Chinese company. It is cheaper and very advanced, making it popular worldwide. However, some experts believe it might be used to collect information without permission.

Gottheimer warned that the Chinese government often uses technology to spy on people, spread false news, and steal important information. He said, "The Chinese Communist Party will use any tool to harm our security, spread lies, and take data from Americans."

LaHood agreed, saying DeepSeek should never be allowed near government systems. "This company is linked to the Chinese government, and we cannot let it take private or government data," he said.

Other countries are also worried. South Korea has stopped DeepSeek on government computers because the company did not answer questions about how it handles user data. Australia has already banned DeepSeek from government devices. France and Italy have also raised concerns.

This issue comes at a time when the US is also trying to ban TikTok unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells the company.

The US government is now deciding whether to ban DeepSeek. If the law is passed, it could lead to more strict rules on Chinese AI programs in the future.