DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firm, has made significant waves in the tech industry with its recent launch, giving fierce competition to OpenAI, Google’s Gemini and Twitter’s Grok AI. However, its privacy policy for usage raises serious concerns for users.
Various sources of information indicate that DeepSeek AI collects extensive personal data, including IP addresses, keystroke patterns, and device information, all of which are stored on servers located in China, when users take services of the AI assistant chatbot. This practice poses a significant privacy risk, given that data stored under Chinese jurisdiction could potentially be accessed by the government under national security laws.
What is DeepSeek’s Privacy Policy ?
DeepSeek’s privacy policy details a wide range of data collection practices beyond just chat history. The report says that when users create an account, DeepSeek collects personal details such as date of birth, username, email address, and/or telephone number, as well as passwords.
In addition to chat history, DeepSeek collects text or audio input, prompts, uploaded files, and any feedback provided to their models or services. It also collects device models, operating systems, IP addresses, and system languages including patterns or rhythms, which can be used to analyze user behaviour and potentially enhance security.
The service automatically gathers information about internet or network activity, including unique device identifiers and cookies. This data helps track user activities across various websites and applications.
If users log in to their accounts through third-party services such as it collects access tokens or other relevant data. When users reach out to DeepSeek for support or to report issues, the company collects information related to the inquiry, including any proof of identity or age verification.
Additionally, the policy also indicates that this data may be shared with advertisers, analytics partners, law enforcement, or public authorities, particularly for compliance with legal processes or government requests. However, This expansive scope of data collection and potential sharing has prompted warnings from privacy experts and some government officials about the risks associated with using DeepSeek.
Also Read: Trump warns China’s Deepseek is wake-up call for America
