South Korea has accused DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, of sharing user data with ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. The South Korean data regulator has not confirmed what data was shared, but has suspended new downloads of the AI app over security concerns. Users in South Korea must give explicit permission for their data to be shared with third-party companies under local law.
DeepSeek has acknowledged shortcomings in complying with South Korean protection laws and has assigned a representative in the country in response to the concerns raised. The company’s powerful AI model, which is cheaper than OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has caused alarm in the Western tech industry due to security concerns. US entrepreneur Bill Ackman has described DeepSeek as a “Trojan Horse” and has raised concerns about the security of user data, especially in light of previous issues with TikTok.
The suspension of new downloads of DeepSeek in South Korea comes after TikTok, another Chinese tech firm, faced a temporary ban in the US over similar security concerns. DeepSeek’s connection with ByteDance has raised red flags, with concerns about data sharing and compliance with local laws. The company’s powerful AI model has been praised for its capabilities, but has also been criticized for potential security risks.
