"Global Crackdown: DeepSeek AI Banned Over Security Fears"

In recent developments, several countries have taken steps to restrict the use of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, citing concerns over data security and national security. Italy was one of the first countries to take action, with its Data Protection Authority investigating the company and ultimately removing its app from the Apple and Google app stores in the country.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Technology has also banned the use of DeepSeek's AI models by government agencies, citing threats to national information security. The ban extends to employees of government agencies, schools, and businesses, with concerns raised about the risk of cross-border information transfer and leakage.

The United States has taken a more comprehensive approach to restricting DeepSeek. US congressional offices have been notified of the ban on the company's AI technology, with employees prohibited from installing its apps on company smartphones, computers, and tablets. The state of Texas has also banned the use of DeepSeek and other Chinese companies' software on state government-issued devices, citing concerns about the Chinese Communist Party infiltrating critical infrastructure through data-collecting AI and social media apps.

The US Navy and Pentagon have also taken steps to restrict the use of DeepSeek technology. The US Navy has informed its personnel to abandon the technology due to potential safety and ethical concerns, while the Pentagon has restricted access to the company's technology but left the possibility of using neural networks through the authorized Ask Sage platform. NASA has also banned the use of DeepSeek tools, citing concerns about the location of the company's servers outside the US, which poses national security risks.

Australia has taken a similar approach, banning the use of DeepSeek on all officials' devices and ordering them to remove the chatbot due to unacceptable risk. The ban has also been implemented by hundreds of corporations around the world, with concerns raised about the possible leak of data at the disposal of the Chinese government. In January, Wiz Research researchers discovered an open DeepSeek database containing chat history, private keys, backend details, and other sensitive information, further fueling concerns about the company's data security practices.