Seoul: South Korea’s data protection authority has revealed that the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek was transferring personal data to a cloud services platform without user consent while it was still available for download.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) reported that the transferred information included device, network, and user inputs in AI prompts, which were sent to servers on the Beijing platform Volcano Engine. DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot previously gained attention for its cost-effective capabilities compared to Western competitors.
Several countries, including South Korea, Italy, and Australia, along with some US states, have raised concerns about DeepSeek’s handling of user data, leading to bans or restrictions on its use. The PIPC initiated an investigation in February, resulting in DeepSeek being unavailable for download until its data collection practices are reviewed.
Nam Seok, an official from the commission, stated that DeepSeek initially transferred personal data to China and the United States without user consent or disclosure in its privacy policy. The investigation confirmed that data, including user inputs in AI prompts, was transferred to Volcano Engine.
DeepSeek has acknowledged its oversight regarding Korea’s data protection laws and has agreed to cooperate with the commission. The company has voluntarily suspended new downloads from domestic app markets. Despite a request for comment, DeepSeek did not immediately respond. The company maintains that data was stored securely in China.
DeepSeek claims its AI tool was developed with less sophisticated chips, reducing costs. The app achieved tens of millions of downloads shortly after its launch. Volcano Engine, the recipient of the transferred data, is a Beijing-based cloud service platform owned by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. DeepSeek stated that the data was transferred to address security vulnerabilities and improve user experience.