South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has temporarily halted downloads of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, due to privacy concerns and potential violations of data protection laws. The AI tool, which gained popularity for its ability to handle both English and Korean languages effectively, faced scrutiny after collecting personal information without proper user consent and storing data on servers in China. The PIPC found that DeepSeek failed to appoint a domestic representative in South Korea and did not properly inform users about personal data collection practices. This incident highlights growing global concerns about data privacy and security in AI applications, particularly those developed by Chinese companies. DeepSeek, launched in late 2023, had attracted attention for its competitive performance against other AI models like ChatGPT and Claude. The company has responded by expressing its commitment to compliance with local regulations and its intention to address the identified issues. This case reflects broader tensions between technological advancement and data protection, especially in the context of international AI development and deployment. South Korean authorities’ action demonstrates increasing regulatory oversight of AI applications and emphasizes the importance of transparency and proper data handling practices in the AI industry.
Source: https://time.com/7225822/deepseek-south-korea-downloads-paused-privacy-china-ai/