Italy’s Regulator Blocks Chinese AI App DeepSeek on Data Protection

Reuters

11:26 JST, January 31, 2025

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s data protection authority said on Thursday it had blocked Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek over a lack of information on its use of personal data.

DeepSeek could not be accessed on Wednesday in Apple or Google app stores in Italy, the day after the authority, known also as the Garante, requested information on its use of personal data.

In particular, it wanted to know what personal data is collected, from which sources, for what purposes, on what legal basis and whether it is stored in China.

The authority’s decision – aimed at protecting Italian users’ data – came after the Chinese companies that supply chatbot service to DeepSeek provided information that “was considered to totally insufficient,” the authority said in a note on its website.

The Garante added that the decision had “immediate effect” and that it had also opened an investigation.

DeepSeek did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a comment.

The Chinese model last week launched a free AI assistant that it says uses less data at a fraction of the cost of incumbent services. The assistant earlier this week had overtaken U.S. rival ChatGPT in downloads from Apple’s app store, sparking panic among tech stock investors.