The Personal Data Protection Office (UODO) has initiated an analysis of the DeepSeek R1 model to assess its compliance with European regulations on personal data processing. Particular attention is being paid to whether the Chinese providers of the DeepSeek chatbot adhere to data processing rules and fulfill their obligation to inform users about how their data is handled.
What is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is a chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence, launched globally in January 2025 as a free application. The software, developed by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd. and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., enables advanced human conversation processing. The tool quickly gained popularity, with 3.6 million users worldwide downloading it within just two weeks.
Privacy Concerns
According to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, user data may be stored on servers located in China. The European Commission has not issued a decision recognizing China as offering an adequate level of data protection, meaning that data processed in China could be subject to wide access by Chinese authorities without the safeguards guaranteed under European law.
Furthermore, generative AI technologies inherently rely on processing vast amounts of data. There is a risk that user data could be used for purposes beyond its original intent, such as further AI model training or marketing activities.
UODO’s Recommendations
In light of these concerns, the President of UODO advises extreme caution when using DeepSeek and other services provided by the Chinese company. The authority emphasizes the importance of monitoring how and why data is processed to ensure full compliance with EU regulations.
UODO is also collaborating with other supervisory authorities within the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), exchanging information on DeepSeek’s operations within the EU. The goal of this cooperation is to thoroughly assess the impact of the application on the protection of users’ personal data in Europe.
Source: Manager Plus
