Italy Blocks Access to DeepSeek to Protect Users’ Data

Italy’s data protection authority blocked access to the Chinese AI application DeepSeek to protect users’ data and announced an investigation into the companies behind the chatbot, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng I Photo: CCTV Plus

The authority, known as Garante, expressed dissatisfaction with DeepSeek’s response to its initial inquiry regarding what personal data is collected, where it is stored, and how users are notified.

“Contrary to the authority’s findings, the companies claimed they do not operate in Italy and that European legislation does not apply to them,” the statement said.

Garante noted that the app had been downloaded by millions of people worldwide in just a few days.

DeepSeek’s new chatbot has intensified competition in the AI technology race, shaking up markets and rapidly closing the gap with American generative AI leaders at a fraction of the cost.