In a recent development, South Korea's data protection authority disclosed that the Chinese artificial intelligence startup, DeepSeek, had been transferring user information and prompts without proper authorization. The service, which was available for download on the country's app market, was found to have been transferring personal data to various companies in China and the United States without obtaining user consent during its launch in South Korea back in January.
The Personal Information Protection Commission highlighted that Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co Ltd failed to adhere to data protection regulations and rules while sharing personal information. Following this revelation, South Korea's data agency suspended new downloads of the DeepSeek app in February. The agency's investigation revealed that DeepSeek had even sent AI prompts entered by users to Beijing Volcano Engine Technology Co. Ltd., along with device, network, and app information.
DeepSeek reportedly claimed that the information sent to Volcano Engine was intended to enhance user experience, but later stated that the transfer of AI prompt content had been ceased from April 10. In response to these findings, the data protection agency has issued a corrective recommendation for DeepSeek to promptly remove the AI prompt content transferred to Volcano Engine and establish a legal framework for future data transfers abroad.
In light of South Korea's findings, China's Foreign Ministry reiterated on Thursday that the Chinese government does not condone or endorse the illegal collection and storage of data by companies. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding data privacy and protection protocols in the global digital landscape.