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Europe’s Privacy Watchdogs to Discuss DeepSeek Amid Data Privacy Concerns

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European Union data protection authorities are set to discuss concerns surrounding the Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek during their monthly meeting on Tuesday, according to the meeting agenda. The discussions arise amid growing scrutiny of how DeepSeek handles personal data, especially regarding European users.

DeepSeek made waves globally last month by showcasing its ability to compete with major U.S. tech firms in human-like reasoning technology, while offering services at a significantly lower cost. However, concerns have been raised by several European privacy regulators about whether the company is using personal data from European citizens to train its AI models and if such data could be transferred to China.

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), based in Brussels, has scheduled a session to address DeepSeek’s activities. During the meeting, national data protection authorities will share information on the actions they’ve taken in response to DeepSeek’s operations. Marie-Laure Denis, president of the French privacy watchdog CNIL, emphasized that the goal of the meeting is to harmonize responses and share insights on how to address privacy risks posed by the company.

The CNIL confirmed that it had reached out to DeepSeek for clarification on how the company’s AI system operates and whether there are any potential privacy risks for users. Ireland’s data protection authority has also sought further information from the Chinese startup. Meanwhile, Italy’s data watchdog has taken more drastic action, ordering DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country due to non-compliance with privacy concerns over its policy.

Europe has been known for its strong stance on data privacy, with its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) considered one of the strictest data protection laws in the world. The scrutiny of DeepSeek highlights the region’s commitment to safeguarding user privacy amid the rapid growth of AI technologies.

Italy’s Data Regulator Blocks DeepSeek AI Chatbot Over Privacy Concerns

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Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, has ordered Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after the company failed to address concerns over its privacy practices. The regulator had questioned DeepSeek about its handling of personal data, including details on what data is collected, its sources, the purposes for which it is used, its legal basis, and whether it is stored in China.

The Garante’s decision came after the company provided what was deemed “totally insufficient” information, prompting the watchdog to take immediate action to protect Italian users’ privacy. DeepSeek has yet to comment on the ruling.

The Chinese startup, which recently claimed that its AI models rival or outperform industry-leading U.S. models at a fraction of the cost, has made headlines for surpassing ChatGPT as the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store in the U.S. However, its swift rise has drawn increasing scrutiny over data protection.

The Garante’s order, which took effect immediately, also includes an investigation into DeepSeek’s data handling practices. Meanwhile, other European regulators, including those in France and Ireland, are investigating the chatbot’s privacy policy.

In response to Italy’s concerns, DeepSeek stated that it had removed its AI assistant from Italian app stores after facing scrutiny. However, Agostino Ghiglia, a member of the Garante board, revealed that the company’s stance—which claimed it was not subject to Italian regulation—further aggravated the situation, prompting the block. Ghiglia emphasized that DeepSeek’s lack of cooperation had made the situation worse.

As of Friday, some Italian users who had previously downloaded the app reported that the chatbot was still functional on their devices, and the web version of the service remained operational. The Garante emphasized that citizens must have the right to consent based on how their data is handled, especially when servers in countries outside the EU, such as China, may not provide the same privacy guarantees as European standards.

The Garante has been at the forefront of data protection in Europe, with a history of taking action against companies, including a brief ban on Microsoft-backed ChatGPT two years ago over potential privacy rule violations.

 

French Privacy Watchdog to Investigate DeepSeek Over AI and Data Protection

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France’s data privacy authority, the CNIL, announced on Thursday that it will question DeepSeek to assess the workings of its AI system and potential privacy risks for users. The Chinese AI startup gained international attention after revealing that training its DeepSeek-V3 model required less than $6 million in Nvidia H800 computing power.

A CNIL spokesperson confirmed that its AI department is currently analyzing DeepSeek’s tool and will engage with the company to understand its system and data protection measures. The French regulator is among the most active in Europe, having previously fined tech giants like Google and Meta for privacy violations.

DeepSeek is also under scrutiny in other parts of Europe. Italy’s data protection authority recently requested details on its handling of personal data, while Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has inquired about data processing practices related to Irish users.

The European Union maintains strict privacy protections under its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), widely regarded as one of the world’s most comprehensive data privacy laws. GDPR violations can result in fines of up to 4% of a company’s global revenue. Additionally, new EU AI regulations impose transparency obligations on high-risk AI models, with penalties ranging from 7.5 million euros (or 1.5% of turnover) to 35 million euros (or 7% of global turnover), depending on the severity of violations.

As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, DeepSeek faces mounting pressure to demonstrate compliance with European data protection standards.