Bill Drexel, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, has raised concerns about the China-based AI app DeepSeek. He said that the app openly collects and stores users' data, which could potentially be used by the Chinese government as "leverage." Drexel shared his statement with Federal Newswire on January 31.
"The security threats from collecting American user data mirror those that have featured in the debate about TikTok: building profiles of Americans' interests, fears, hopes, even 'keystroke patterns' can be powerful tools for later leverage," said Drexel. "Funnily enough, whereas TikTok has done all sorts of gymnastics to try to distance themselves from the CCP's data rules, DeepSeek is comparatively much more direct that your data is vulnerable. They are clear that all the data culled from their products will be stored in China, where it is subject to the rules (and surveillance) of the CCP. In that sense, DeepSeek is even more obvious about the threat than TikTok is."
DeepSeek launched its free AI platform in January and quickly surpassed OpenAI's ChatGPT in app store downloads, according to Reuters. Chinese commentators are optimistic that DeepSeek's success indicates that Chinese firms can overcome U.S. export controls on semiconductor chips crucial for AI technology.
According to CNBC, cybersecurity experts have expressed privacy and data concerns regarding Americans using DeepSeek. Dewardric McNeal of Longview Global said that the data collected by DeepSeek is significantly more extensive than what could be gathered from a Google search. Government entities such as NASA and the U.S. Navy have prohibited employees from using DeepSeek.
NPR reported that DeepSeek's privacy policy states it collects information including users' IP addresses, search query history, keystroke patterns, and activity across other apps. The location of DeepSeek's servers in China raises concerns about potential access by the Chinese government.
Furthermore, NPR reported allegations that DeepSeek engages in censorship and promotes Chinese propaganda narratives. Users have claimed that the app does not respond to inquiries related to sensitive topics such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and Taiwan's sovereignty.
Drexel's work at the Center for a New American Security focuses on Sino-American competition, AI, and technology. According to the organization's website, he previously worked on Indo-Pacific affairs at the American Enterprise Institute and humanitarian innovation at the United Nations.
