Berlin’s Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Meike Kamp, is doing just that. She’s called on Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek, a Chinese AI app, from their app stores in Germany. Serious questions have been raised about the app—popular with over 25 million downloads—regarding its collection and storage of users’ personal data. These accusations say that this data is transmitted back to China without user consent.
DeepSeek, an AI chatbot based out of China, has already faced criticism over its data security measures. EU laws ban such practices, and the app is not in compliance with those laws, Kamp reported. In particular, it inadequately addresses the transfer of data outside of the bloc. It failed to furnish “persuasive evidence” that it is meeting the required level of protection for users’ data under EU law.
DeepSeek’s privacy policy indicates that the app collects a wide range of personal user data. It stores this data in China, raising fears about potential misuse by the Chinese government. Kamp’s office asked that DeepSeek pick one of two futures. It should either introduce the required compliance with EU laws related to data transfers, or remove its app from the German market. The deal company failed to engage meaningfully on these requests.
That’s why earlier this year, Italy banned the DeepSeek app from their country’s app stores. They were forced to act in this way due to similar data protection concerns. European authorities, meanwhile, have been alarmed by the privacy measures employed by apps created outside the EU. We can see reflected in this trend in regulatory responses their fears.
Meike Kamp highlighted the risk associated with DeepSeek, stating, “Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies.” This public statement further highlights concerns that the digital data personally identifiable to individual users may be subject to governmental reach in China.
As this story continues to unfold, both Apple and Google now have an immediate duty to consider Kamp’s report. To protect user privacy and civil rights, they should cut DeepSeek off by deplatforming it from their app stores and developer tools. Whether that decision will be yes or no will depend on the outcomes of that app’s data protection practices being flagged as compliant or not with EU regulation.
