DeepSeek Banned on Some Canadian Government Devices Over Privacy Fears

The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot DeepSeek, developed by a Chinese company, has recently been banned on certain Canadian government mobile devices due to significant privacy concerns. A communication from Dominic Rochon, the chief information officer of the Treasury Board Secretariat, highlighted these issues, particularly focusing on DeepSeek's troubling practices related to the collection and storage of sensitive personal data.

According to the email shared with Global News, the chatbot has already faced restrictions on devices managed by Shared Services Canada (SSC), an organization that provides digital services to various government departments. In his message, Rochon urged other government organizations to collaborate with SSC to enforce these restrictions on all devices under their management. He also recommended that departments not using SSC's services consider blocking both the DeepSeek application and its website on their networks and devices.

This decision is considered a precautionary step aimed at safeguarding government networks and sensitive information from potential threats.

Privacy and Security Concerns

DeepSeek gained significant attention last month when it launched its AI chatbot, which bears similarities to programs like OpenAI's ChatGPT. The company claims its application is built to operate using less energy and at lower costs, thanks to its use of cheaper semiconductors compared to its U.S. counterparts.

However, experts have raised alarms about the chatbot's data collection practices. Reports indicate that the DeepSeek chatbot gathers various types of user information, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and birth dates, as well as interactions such as text or audio input, uploaded files, user feedback, and chat histories. This level of data collection has led to national security and privacy concerns, reminiscent of issues raised surrounding the popular social media app TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

Global Context and Previous Bans

Governments in the West have expressed apprehension about the potential for Chinese companies to share user data with the Beijing government, driven by national security laws that require compliance. In fact, the U.S. government briefly imposed a ban on TikTok last month, mandating that ByteDance sell the app; however, the ban was lifted after President Donald Trump extended the deadline for divestiture.

In Canada, the government implemented a ban on TikTok on its devices in 2023, citing security risks. Despite some politicians returning to the platform, TikTok was instructed to cease its operations in Canada following a national security review. Nonetheless, the app remains accessible to the general public.

The rising scrutiny over applications like DeepSeek and TikTok indicates a broader trend in both Canada and globally, as authorities become increasingly vigilant about the security and privacy of digital tools, particularly those developed by foreign entities.

AI, Privacy, Government