Privacy-problematic DeepSeek suspended from South Korea’s app stores

The South Korean Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has halted new downloads of DeepSeek’s mobile application citing privacy concerns. This suspension took effect over the weekend, although users who already have the app will not be affected. Additionally, DeepSeek’s services remain accessible through its web platform.

Officials from DeepSeek conceded to partially overlooking their responsibilities as dictated by South Korea’s stringent data protection laws, recognized as some of the most robust in the world. Nam Seok, head of the PIPC’s investigation division, stated that the company demonstrated a lack of transparency regarding third-party data transfers and potentially gathered excessive amounts of personal data.

To address the identified issues, DeepSeek has dispatched a representative to South Korea to facilitate compliance with local regulations. However, the timeframe for resolving these privacy matters remains uncertain. The commission hinted that it may take a significant duration to achieve full compliance.

Concerns about DeepSeek’s security practices have also been voiced by Western information security experts. Mobile security firm NowSecure recently disclosed that the application transmits user data in an unencrypted format to servers based in China, which are under the control of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. Furthermore, reports surfaced about an unsecured database that exposed DeepSeek’s customer chat histories and sensitive internal data.

In attempts to gauge the software’s sensitivity around politically charged inquiries, notably around subjects like the Tiananmen Square protests, DeepSeek’s AI model demonstrated a systematic inability to comment, reflecting potential censorship.

As regulatory scrutiny mounts, the implications of this halt extend beyond DeepSeek, sending a signal about the enforcement of privacy laws and the obligation of tech companies operating in South Korea to adhere to local regulations that prioritize user protection. The unfolding developments could reshape how technologically advanced services approach compliance in regions with stringent privacy standards.