Concerns about DeepSeek's privacy rights raise international alarm bells

Privacy oversight agencies are investigating the privacy protections of the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, as security experts uncover vulnerabilities and data flows to its parent company TikTok, ByteDance.

The unexpected rise of DeepSeek has sparked a wave of global data concerns, as regulators and privacy experts warn about the potential risks to national security posed by this Chinese AI application.

Italy, the third-largest economy in the European Union, has taken the first step by banning DeepSeek after authorities requested details about the app's data operations. Italy’s privacy oversight agency rejected the Chinese startup's data protection measures as "inadequate."

The scrutiny does not stop at the EU. Regulators in South Korea are preparing to request similar answers as those sought by Italy, while Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has publicly warned citizens to exercise caution when using the app.

The controversy surrounding DeepSeek's privacy issues lies within the increasing regulatory pressure on Chinese tech companies. The United States is well-known for its ban on TikTok over national security concerns, with President Donald Trump issuing an executive order to restore the service of this social media app within hours (currently).

Black Swan has requested DeepSeek to clarify how the company handles user data but has not received a response. #DeepsSeek