DeepSeek Makes TikTok’s Security Issues Look Like Child’s Play
TikTok took a huge scoop of American users’ data and stored it in China. This is why the app was temporarily banned in the States. Well guess what, AI company DeepSeek is also doing the same thing, and this company makes TikTok’s situation seem like a joke. The government warns of a massive DeepSeek security risk.
In case you don’t know, DeepSeek is an AI company that exploded onto the scene just a couple of days ago. Its open-source model was able to give OpenAI a run for its money in a way that Google never could. Because of its prowess, even the U.S. government is taking notice.
The model can go toe-to-toe with the best models that the largest AI companies can offer. Not only that, but the DeepSeek app has reached the top of the charts on the Apple App Store. It’s also the #1 free app on the Google Play Store, beating out Temu. With more than 5 million downloads on the Play Store, it’s set to be a major part of the AI market. In fact, it’s already causing some trouble in the AI hardware market.
DeepSeek poses a pretty significant security threat
One can argue whether the U.S. government’s concerns over TikTok are legitimate, but when it comes to DeepSeek, there’s no denying that the company is a privacy nightmare. DeepSeek is a Chinese company, which already has is already raising red flags for officials. Since it’s based in China, they fear that the company is storing its data in its home country. Well, this is true, and it’s rather scary.
When looking at the company’s privacy policy, you’ll see that DeepSeek stores all types of information on users from its users. “We collect your information in three ways: Information You Provide, Automatically Collected Information, and Information From Other Sources.”
When the company says information you provide, it means profile information (username, email addresses and/or phone numbers, and passwords), user input (text prompts, audio from voice prompts, uploaded files, feedback, and chat history), proof of identity, and age.
As for the automatically collected data, the company scoops up browser cookies, IP addresses, the operating system of the device you’re using, device model, keystroke patterns, payment information, usage information, and more sensitive data.
Lastly, for information from other sources, the company will store log-ins, sign-ups, and linked services from third-party companies like Google and Apple. Also, it takes information about you from advertisers.
DeepSeek also states that, “We store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People’s Republic of China.” This confirms what most people have feared.
This should not stand
The list of the data that DeepSeek takes from users is absolutely ridiculous. It’d be one thing if the company only stored chats or feedback, but the amount of data that the company has been collecting is unheard of. There’s no telling what sort of information other companies like Google or Meta take from their users, but the fact that it’s being sent over to mainland China has ruffled some feathers. This is an ongoing saga, so we don’t know what will happen as the company gains more traction.
