Key Takeaways
- DeepSeek’s explosion into the AI space shocked the world and disrupted the markets, but concerns over cybersecurity and data privacy have quickly led to a swath of bans.
- Several countries and institutions, including the U.S. Congress, NASA, and the Pentagon, have banned DeepSeek due to national security risks and fears of foreign data access.
- DeepSeek has faced accusations of AI censorship, with reports indicating that politically sensitive topics are filtered or avoided.
- The future of DeepSeek remains uncertain, as more countries, including India, Italy, and Australia, continue to evaluate their stance on AI governance.
DeepSeek burst onto the scene just a few weeks ago, and has already become one of the most disruptive developments in recent history. Its advanced capabilities in deep learning and data analysis have pushed the boundaries of artificial intelligence and shaken the US stock market. At the same time, it has also raised significant cybersecurity concerns, prompting various governments and institutions to ban DeepSeekentirely.
The rise of AI bans could be a growing trend as regulatory bodies and lawmakers attempt to balance innovation with privacy and national security concerns. With DeepSeek’s potential to collect vast amounts of data, regulators are questioning what the AI model learns from users and how it could use that data.
As a result, several countries, tech firms, and institutions have moved swiftly to block or regulate DeepSeek’s operations, citing security risks, data privacy violations, and geopolitical concerns. In this article, we explore the 8 places that have banned DeepSeek, the key reasons behind these decisions, and what it means for the future of AI governance.
8 Places Where DeepSeek Is Already Banned
Let’s take a look at the growing list of countries, institutions and states that have already banned DeepSeek:
1. Australia
The Australian administration has banned DeepSeek from all government systems and devices, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasizing the importance of national security in the decision. The government also advised critical infrastructure operators to avoid using DeepSeek’s AI tools.
China has argued back that the ban is based on “ideological discrimination” and not technological concerns. While Australia’s ban doesn’t include personal devices, Burke encouraged private citizens to avoid using DeepSeek.
2. South Korea
Similarly, South Korea’s Ministry of Industry has temporarily prohibited its employees from accessing DeepSeek due to security concerns. This decision aligns with the government’s broader caution towards generative AI services. State-owned enterprises, such as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and other major companies like Kakao Corp and Naver Corp, have also restricted the use of these services.
Caution over DeepSeek security has also spread to South Korea’s private sector. A number of its big tech companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and LG Electronics, have proactively blocked their internal hardware from accessing AI tools.
On 16 February, the country went further, banning the DeepSeek app from local app stores.
3. Taiwan
Taiwan has banned its government agencies from using DeepSeek’s AI platform, citing security risks and potential data leakage. The digital ministry advised departments to prevent information security risks by avoiding the service.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs stated:
“DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product. Its operation involves cross-border transmission, and information leakage, and other information security concerns.”
The DeepSeek ban comes as no surprise amid mounting tensions between China and Taiwan in recent years. As recently as January 2025, Taiwan reported that Chinese hackers had targeted its government systems, part of a wider campaign to deny Taiwan’s sovereignty.
4. Italy
Italy has taken decisive action by removing DeepSeek from app stores entirely, expressing concerns over data protection and privacy. The Italian Garante is among the biggest AI regulators in Europe, temporarily banning ChatGPT in Italy in 2023 due to potential privacy breaches.
In late January, the Italian Data Protection Authority (DPA) initiated a probe into DeepSeek’s data collection practices and its compliance with GDPR, the EU’s strict data protection regulations. It gave DeepSeek 20 days to clarify how and where it stores user data, as well as its intended use. The Chinese company argued that its apps were not subject to EU laws but the DPA disagreed, leading to a total ban.
Counterpart AI data regulators in Ireland and France are currently scrutinizing the privacy of DeepSeek, and could soon join the list of countries to ban the app.
5. India
Its Ministry of Finance has prohibited its employees from using DeepSeek. To combat potential Chinese interference with user data, India is planning to host DeepSeek’s data on servers based within the country. Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw commented that they’re already working on providing the proper framework and finding the exact technical specifications that will be necessary.
India’s DeepSeek moratorium might also have something to do with its homegrown AI industry, with apps like BharatGPT aligning better with its national tech aspirations.
6. Texas
The state of Texas has officially prohibited AI software developed by DeepSeek and other Chinese firms from being used on government-issued devices. Governor Greg Abbott emphasized that Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to compromise the state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media applications.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to safeguarding against threats from foreign adversaries.
7. US Congress & NASA
Both NASA and the U.S. Congress have taken decisive action to restrict the use of DeepSeek’s AI technology due to security threats and data risks. According to an internal memo, NASA has completely banned DeepSeek’s products and services, prohibiting employees from accessing the AI through government-issued devices or agency-managed networks.
The space agency emphasized that it prohibits the use of DeepSeek with NASA data or systems, citing concerns over data integrity and cybersecurity.
The U.S. Congress has simultaneously moved to block DeepSeek’s functionality on all House-issued devices, warning lawmakers and staff of the potential for malware and unauthorized data access. A notice from the chief administrative officer of the U.S. House of Representatives highlighted that threat actors were already exploiting DeepSeek for cyberattacks. Rep. Josh Gottheimer who is part of the House Intelligence Committee went a step further and even suggested an immediate ban on the app for all government devices.
For now, there is a strict prohibition on congressional staff installing the app on official devices, underlining the US government’s skepticism toward foreign-developed AI platforms.
8. US Navy & Pentagon
The U.S. Navy and the Pentagon have both imposed strict restrictions on the use of DeepSeek’s AI technology due to security and ethical concerns. According to an internal Navy directive members were prohibited from using DeepSeek’s AI “in any capacity”. This included both work-related tasks and personal use.
Similarly, the Pentagon has blocked access to DeepSeek technologies at the Department of Defense (DoD) headquarters since January, following concerns that personnel were using the AI tool without authorization. However, DoD employees can still access AI solutions through a sanctioned platform called Ask Sage, which ensures that data is not stored on China-based servers.
Is Deepseek Collecting Data?
DeepSeek operates by processing vast amounts of user interactions to refine its AI responses. While the company insists that it doesn’t store personally identifiable information (PII), regulators remain skeptical. Some cybersecurity experts warn that DeepSeek’s data processing capabilities could enable it to profile users based on behavioral patterns. Furthermore, the data collected by DeepSeek is stored in Chinese servers, causing concerns about many users in the US.
Given its black-box nature, critics argue that DeepSeek lacks transparency in how it handles user data. Countries banning DeepSeek often cite data privacy risks and the potential to use sensitive information for commercial or political purposes.
Are DeepSeek Answers Censored?
Another major concern surrounding DeepSeek is AI censorship. Governments and regulators worry that DeepSeek’s AI responses could have ideological leanings or corporate interests.
DeepSeek’s model seems to filter politically sensitive topics and avoids controversial discussions, raising questions about freedom of information. For example, asking DeepSeek questions about the Tiananmen Square massacre will not result in an answer from the AI.
While DeepSeek’s developers claim that content moderation is in place to prevent harmful AI-generated content, critics argue that selective censorship undermines open discourse.
Closing Thoughts
The increasing number of DeepSeek bans highlights a global debate on the ethical, legal, and security implications of AI technologies. Regulators struggle to establish clear governance models and find the delicate balance between innovation and user privacy. With DeepSeek raising multiple questions when it comes to data collection and censorship, we could soon see more countries banning the application.
