Texas has become the latest U.S. state to ban the use of China's AI model DeepSeek and other apps on government devices, citing data privacy and national security concerns.
Reasons for the Ban
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced a ban on the use of Chinese AI and social apps, including DeepSeek, RedNote, and Lemon8, on state-owned devices. The decision is based on concerns about the infiltration of the state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting applications.
Global Reaction to DeepSeek
DeepSeek has sparked interest in the tech world but has also faced multiple bans over concerns about data leakage. Italy and Taiwan have also banned the use of DeepSeek, with Italy initiating an investigation into its data processing practices.
Data Security and Legal Issues
The main concern is the potential data leakage to the Chinese government. According to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, data is stored in China, where local laws require data sharing with security officials upon request.
In the wake of heightened cybersecurity threats, governments worldwide, including the US and Italy, are taking active measures to safeguard data and prevent potential information leaks through Chinese AI like DeepSeek.
