The Netherlands’ privacy watchdog, the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP), announced on Friday that it will launch an investigation into the data collection practices of Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek. The AP expressed serious concerns over DeepSeek’s privacy policies, particularly regarding how it handles personal information.
Aleid Wolfsen, Chairman of the AP, warned Dutch users to exercise caution when using DeepSeek’s software, citing the potential risks to privacy. The agency also emphasized that personal data from European citizens can only be stored outside of Europe under strict conditions, which DeepSeek must meet.
This move comes just days after Italy blocked DeepSeek’s app over similar privacy concerns, and both Ireland and France have sought information on the company’s data processing practices. The AP revealed that it is working closely with other European Union regulators to exchange information and coordinate future actions.
