Germany’s data protection commissioner has called on Apple and Google to remove the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country, citing violations of data protection laws.
Commissioner Meike Kamp said on Friday that DeepSeek is illegally transferring personal user data to China, raising serious concerns over privacy and national security.
According to Kamp, DeepSeek has failed to demonstrate that it protects the data of German users to a level equivalent to European Union standards. “Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies,” she warned. Despite being asked in May to comply with EU data transfer regulations or withdraw voluntarily, DeepSeek did not respond to the request.
DeepSeek gained global attention in January by claiming to have developed a cost-effective AI model that rivals systems like ChatGPT. However, the company has since faced mounting scrutiny. Italy has already blocked the app from its stores, and the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. In the U.S., lawmakers are now pushing legislation to ban Chinese-developed AI tools in federal agencies, amid growing national security concerns.
A recent Reuters investigation further intensified the controversy by revealing DeepSeek’s alleged involvement in supporting China’s military and intelligence operations. Apple, Google, and DeepSeek have yet to publicly comment on Germany’s request.
