{"id":45081,"date":"2025-09-08T11:19:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T11:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/deepseek-is-chinas-ai-chatbot-a-threat-to-european-privacy\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T11:21:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T11:21:31","slug":"deepseek-je-cinsky-chatbot-s-umelou-inteligenciou-hrozbou-pre-europske-sukromie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/sk\/deepseek-je-cinsky-chatbot-s-umelou-inteligenciou-hrozbou-pre-europske-sukromie\/","title":{"rendered":"DeepSeek: Je \u010d\u00ednsky chatbot s umelou inteligenciou hrozbou pre eur\u00f3pske s\u00fakromie?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Too much data, too little protection<\/b><\/h3>\n

On June 27, Berlin\u2019s data protection authority called on Apple and Google to remove the DeepSeek app<\/a> from their German app stores. The reason? Major privacy concerns and the transfer of sensitive user data straight to China.<\/span><\/p>\n

DeepSeek, an AI chatbot app developed in China, has raised eyebrows from the very beginning. While it promises advanced content generation, the real issue lies in <\/span>how<\/span> it collects and handles user data.<\/span><\/p>\n

The app reportedly gathers a wide range of personal information \u2014 not just what you type, but also your location, device ID, network info, full chat history, and even <\/span>every keystroke<\/span>. That\u2019s a lot of data. And according to EU privacy rules, if this data is sent outside the EU (like to China), strict protections must be in place.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the catch: China does not offer legal privacy protections equivalent to those in the EU. That means transferring EU user data to Chinese servers could violate the <\/span>GDPR<\/span><\/a>, Europe\u2019s gold-standard privacy law.<\/span><\/p>\n

DeepSeek can\u2019t prove it\u2019s safe <\/p>\n

German authorities say DeepSeek has failed to prove that user data is properly secured when sent to China. No solid evidence of encryption, anonymization, or safeguards against Chinese government access has been presented.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meike Kamp, Berlin\u2019s data protection commissioner, stated clearly: without these guarantees, the app should not be available to EU users.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spy fears add fuel to the fire <\/p>\n

It gets more serious. Some media reports suggest that DeepSeek might be sharing data with Chinese intelligence or military services. While no concrete proof has emerged, these suspicions raise the stakes \u2014 especially in the context of geopolitical risk assessments, now required under EU law.<\/span><\/p>\n

The risk of data being used by third-country authorities\u2014without adequate control mechanisms and the possibility for EU citizens to seek redress\u2014has already been highlighted by the <\/span>European Data Protection Board<\/span><\/a> in the context of data processing in China, Russia, and India.<\/span><\/p>\n

Too little, too late?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Under pressure from the Greek data protection authority, DeepSeek attempted to comply with the formal requirements of the GDPR. To this end, it appointed its legal representative in the EU \u2013 the Austrian company <\/span>Prighter EU Rep GmbH<\/span><\/a>, based in Vienna.<\/span><\/p>\n

This step is required for a non-EU entity to legally process EU citizens’ data and respond to inquiries from data protection authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, as Berlin Commissioner Meike Kamp points out, the formal appointment of a representative does not solve the key problem: the lack of guarantees that user data will not be transferred to China in a manner that does not comply with EU standards.<\/span><\/p>\n

If DeepSeek is unable to provide detailed technical and organizational documentation demonstrating that data is properly encrypted, anonymized, and protected from access by Chinese authorities, mere compliance with formal obligations may prove insufficient.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apple and Google in the hot seat <\/p>\n

Instead of banning DeepSeek outright, Berlin\u2019s authorities are taking a smart detour: asking Apple and Google to remove the app from their stores. This reflects a new enforcement trend \u2014 putting pressure not only on app creators, but also on the tech giants that distribute them.<\/span><\/p>\n

So far, Apple and Google haven\u2019t responded. But past cases show that they\u2019re willing to remove apps if legally required. If they comply, DeepSeek would no longer be downloadable or updatable in Germany.<\/span><\/p>\n

A crucial test for Europe\u2019s digital sovereignty <\/p>\n

The DeepSeek saga is more than a one-off privacy case \u2014 it\u2019s a test of Europe\u2019s digital resilience.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Chinese tech expands in Europe, regulators face tough questions:<\/span><\/p>\n