South Korea Freezes DeepSeek Downloads Over Data Fears

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South Korea Freezes DeepSeek Downloads Over Data Handling Fears

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: February 18, 2025

Key Takeaways

South Korea halted new DeepSeek downloads as regulators review its data practices and privacy compliance;
The PIPC found issues in DeepSeek’s handling of user data and its communication with third-party services;
Authorities will conduct inspections and provide guidelines to improve DeepSeek’s compliance and prevent future data issues.

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South Korea Freezes DeepSeek Downloads Over Data Handling Fears

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South Korea has temporarily blocked new downloads of DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by a Chinese company, while authorities investigate how it handles user data.

Following DeepSeek's launch, the country's Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) began reviewing its data policies and sent inquiries to DeepSeek regarding its collection and processing of personal information.

The commission has identified issues in how the app communicates with third-party services and manages user data, some of which have been reported by media outlets in South Korea and internationally.

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On February 17, the PIPC announced the decision, stating that DeepSeek agreed to pause new installations on February 15 and will work with regulators to strengthen its privacy protections before resuming.

While new users cannot download the app, those who already have it can continue using it. However, the PIPC advises caution until the investigation is complete. The agency plans to review how DeepSeek collects and processes personal data to ensure it complies with South Korea’s privacy laws.

To make sure DeepSeek follows South Korea's data protection rules, the PIPC will conduct on-site checks. They want to see how DeepSeek keeps and uses existing users' data. They will also give advice to help DeepSeek meet local laws and to help other AI companies avoid similar problems.

Recently, Microsoft and OpenAI investigated the Chinese AI company DeepSeek. What were the allegations against the company? Read the full story.