Latest news with #Kamp
Ammon
6 hours ago
- Business
- Ammon
DeepSeek faces ban from Apple, Google app stores in Germany
Ammon News - Germany's data protection commissioner has asked Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country due to concerns about data protection, following a similar crackdown elsewhere. Commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday that she had made the request because DeepSeek illegally transfers users' personal data to China. The two U.S. tech giants must now review the request promptly and decide whether to block the app in Germany, she added, though her office has not set a precise timeframe. Google said it had received the notice and was reviewing it. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. According to its own privacy policy, opens new tab, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," Kamp said.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
DeepSeek faces ban from Apple, Google app stores in Germany
Germany's data protection commissioner has asked Apple and Google to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country due to concerns about data protection, following a similar crackdown elsewhere. Commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday that she had made the request because DeepSeek illegally transfers users' personal data to China. The two U.S. tech giants must now review the request promptly and decide whether to block the app in Germany, she added, though her office has not set a precise timeframe. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Apple and Google were not immediately available for comment. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. "DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union," Kamp said. "Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies," she added. The commissioner said she took the decision after asking DeepSeek in May to meet the requirements for non-EU data transfers or else voluntarily withdraw its app. DeepSeek did not comply with this request, she added. DeepSeek shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model to rival those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost. However, it has come under scrutiny in the United States and Europe for its data security policies. Italy blocked it from app stores there earlier this year, citing a lack of information on its use of personal data, while the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. Belgium has recommended government officials not to use DeepSeek. "Further analyses are underway to evaluate the approach to be followed," a government spokesperson said. In Spain, the consumer rights group OCU asked the government's data protection agency in February to investigate threats likely posed by DeepSeek, though no ban has come into force. U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would ban U.S. executive agencies from using any AI models developed in China. Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations.
Yomiuri Shimbun
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
DeepSeek Faces Ban from Apple, Google App Stores in Germany
FRANKFURT, June 27 (Reuters) – Germany's data protection commissioner has asked Apple AAPL.O and Google GOOGL.O to remove Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from their app stores in the country due to concerns about data protection, following a similar crackdown elsewhere. Commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday that she had made the request because DeepSeek illegally transfers users' personal data to China. The two U.S. tech giants must now review the request promptly and decide whether to block the app in Germany, she added, though her office has not set a precise timeframe. Google said it had received the notice and was reviewing it. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI program or uploaded files, on computers in China. 'DeepSeek has not been able to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users' data is protected in China to a level equivalent to that in the European Union,' Kamp said. 'Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies,' she added. The commissioner said she took the decision after asking DeepSeek in May to meet the requirements for non-EU data transfers or else voluntarily withdraw its app. DeepSeek did not comply with this request, she added. DeepSeek shook the technology world in January with claims that it had developed an AI model to rival those from U.S. firms such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI at much lower cost. However, it has come under scrutiny in the United States and Europe for its data security policies. Italy blocked it from app stores there earlier this year, citing a lack of information on its use of personal data, while the Netherlands has banned it on government devices. Belgium has recommended government officials not to use DeepSeek. 'Further analyzes are underway to evaluate the approach to be followed,' a government spokesperson said. In Spain, the consumer rights group OCU asked the government's data protection agency in February to investigate threats likely posed by DeepSeek, though no ban has come into force. The British government said 'the use of DeepSeek remains a personal choice for members of the public.' 'We continue to monitor any national security threats to UK citizens and their data from all sources,' a spokesperson for Britain's technology ministry said. 'If evidence of threats arises, we will not hesitate to take the appropriate steps to protect our national security.' U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would ban U.S. executive agencies from using any AI models developed in China. Reuters exclusively reported this week that DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations.
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Business Standard
20 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Germany orders Apple, Google to remove Deepseek app over data concerns
Karin Matussek Apple Inc. and Google's Android have been warned by a top German privacy regulator that the Chinese AI service DeepSeek, available on their app stores, constitutes illegal content because it exposes users' data to Chinese authorities. The formal notification comes after DeepSeek ignored a May request to either pull its app from app stores in Germany or put in place safeguards when collecting local users' data and transmitting it to China, Berlin data protection commissioner Meike Kamp said in a statement on Friday. 'Chinese authorities have far-reaching rights to access personal data,' Kamp said. 'DeepSeek users don't have enforceable rights and effective legal remedies available to them in China, like they're guaranteed in the European Union.' Hangzhou-based DeepSeek shocked the global tech industry in January with its R1 large language model, which the Chinese startup claimed could rival much larger US systems at a fraction of the cost. After the Chinese app ignored requests to comply, the Berlin agency invoked a provision of the EU's Digital Services Act, which puts the onus on tech platforms like Apple and Google to take down illegal content on their platforms. They both must now swiftly review the notice and decide on how to comply, according to Kamp. While the regulator could have also fined DeepSeek, Kamp decided against it, because she wouldn't be able to enforce the penalty in China. 'We received the notice, and are reviewing it,' a Google spokesman said in an emailed statement. Apple declined to comment. DeepSeek didn't immediately reply to emails seeking comments. The German move follows a similar step by Italy's privacy regulator in January. In the US, authorities have concluded that DeepSeek gave support to the Chinese military and intelligence efforts and is expected to keep doing so, according to an American official. Lawmakers in Washington are preparing bipartisan legislation that would ban federal government agencies from using DeepSeek and other AI tools from foreign adversaries.q
International Business Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- International Business Times
German Watchdog Challenges DeepSeek App Presence in App Stores, Urges Apple, Google to Take Action
The Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek, which shook the entire AI sector by its launch, has found itself in trouble in one of the European countries. A German privacy regulator has issued a formal notice of compelled action to tech giants Apple and Google over the availability of the Chinese artificial intelligence app on their app stores. The move reflects increasing anxiety in Europe about what Chinese tech services do with the personal data of people who use them, particularly when users have no idea how their information can be cross-referenced or pointed abroad. "The AI app breaks data protection laws and will not be available in Berlin," Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection Meike Kamp said on Friday. Her office stated that DeepSeek did not reply to its earlier requests to take its app off the German market or ensure that the data of European users is safe. The main point of concern remains the potential for personal information collected from German users to be accessed by Chinese authorities, where these users do not have the same privacy rights as those guaranteed under EU law. "Chinese authorities have very extensive access to personal data," Kamp explained. "EU citizens using DeepSeek also lack enforceable rights or protection in China." In January, DeepSeek, a startup in Hangzhou, grabbed global attention with its R1 large language model. The company said its A.I. platform was equivalent to the best technology from OpenAI and Google except that it ran on less powerful chips (Nvidia H800s) and cost less to develop, under $6 million. Its promise of low cost and high efficiency has been hailed as game-changing in the AI world. But now the app's ascent is getting regulatory pushback in Europe. The German regulator is invoking the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) because DeepSeek has disregarded numerous requests for compliance. The law forces technology platforms, such as Apple's App Store and Google Play, to ensure illegal material, including apps posing data risks, is removed or restricted. Apple and Google are now facing calls to reconsider the notification and intervene. Though Kamp said she could have issued a fine to DeepSeek, enforcement was an international challenge. And so the buck passes to the platforms that host the app. It's not the first time that European regulators have taken aim at Chinese AI apps. Italy's privacy authority expressed similar concerns this year over the way Chinese services may treat sensitive information of European users. Technology and international data governance are intersecting as geopolitical tensions rise and AI tools take over; they are also turning into flashpoints. Also, European nations are strengthening privacy rules that would protect their citizens from foreign surveillance or from having their data mishandled.
