Recently, DeepSeek, the AI assistant generating the most buzz, has run into trouble again. Foreign media have pointed out that DeepSeek stores all collected user data on secure servers in China. As a result, your personal information will be used by DeepSeek for the operation, development, and improvement of its own services, and may even be used elsewhere.
DeepSeek Privacy Policy Controversy: User Data Will Be Stored on Servers in China — Be Aware Before Use
Recently, DeepSeek has sparked discussions in many countries, and many overseas enthusiasts who test large language models have even said that DeepSeek’s performance surpasses OpenAI. Today, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman also said on his X account that DeepSeek-R1 is an impressive model.
deepseek’s r1 is an impressive model, particularly around what they’re able to deliver for the price.
we will obviously deliver much better models and also it’s legit invigorating to have a new competitor! we will pull up some releases.
— Sam Altman (@sama) January 28, 2025
However, DeepSeek has recently been the subject of discussion not just because its model is useful, but partly because of security concerns. According to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, it collects users’ personal information and stores it on DeepSeek servers in China. The collected information includes phone numbers, national ID numbers (if you use paid services), and payment/top-up details. If required by the Chinese government, DeepSeek will also publicly disclose your personal information.
Apart from the mobile phone number and national ID number mentioned above,foreign mediaAlso compiled other data that DeepSeek would collect:
- Information such as date of birth, username, email, password, and so on, provided when creating an account.
- Content entered, uploaded files, and chat history when using DeepSeek
- Identification documents or proof of age provided at the time of consultation
- IP addresses, cookies, and other network and network activity information when using DeepSeek services
- When using DeepSeek services, information about your device model, operating system, keyboard input mode, and other details related to your device and network connection.
- Friends who registered using an Apple or Google account will include information related to these services.
In its privacy policy, DeepSeek states that under normal circumstances, it will notify you and obtain your consent when collecting or using your personal information. However, if your situation involves China’s national security, national defense security, and similar matters, DeepSeek may directly collect and use your personal information without obtaining your consent.
Due to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, the US, already concerned about China’s threat to national security, has become even more vigilant.American mediaThey even went so far as to write in the article title that DeepSeek would transmit US data to China. Seems like the US will have one more Chinese app to ban in the future.
If you’re worried about information security but still want to try DeepSeek R1, you can also install it locally. It works even without an internet connection, making it much more secure.
Source: KOCPC Chinese