Bipartisan US legislators have introduced legislation that would ban federal workers from using DeepSeek, the Chinese chatbot with artificial intelligence developed by DeepSeek. They cited national security issues and concerns about data abuse.
The representatives Josh Gottheimer, Darin LaHood and announced on Thursday the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act”, warning that the chatbot’s connection to China may pose a security threat to federal networks.
This bill requires all government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, to remove DeepSeek and any apps developed by High Flyer’s parent company within 60 days.
Gottheimer stated in a press release that “the Chinese Communist Party made it clear it would use any and all tools at its disposal to harm our national security, spread harmful disinformation, or collect information on Americans.”
The CCP cannot be allowed to compromise the national security of our officials by infiltrating their devices.
DeepSeek proposed ban is in line with TikTok ban
This proposed ban represents the latest in a series of escalations between China and the United States.
DeepSeek recently made headlines after unveiling a high-powered AI chip, R1, that rivaled leading American AI systems.
DeepSeek’s breakthrough has fueled concerns in Washington about China’s AI industry progressing more quickly than expected.
It has been speculated that Beijing may use models similar to the chatbot to increase its global influence on AI applications and research.
The situation has been compared to TikTok – the Chinese owned social media application that’s the topic of US debates on national security for years.
TikTok has been banned by federal and state agencies on devices used for government purposes due to fears that the parent company ByteDance could be forced into sharing American user data to Chinese authorities.
TikTok is now facing a ban, unless ByteDance decides to sell the platform. This follows a bipartisan law that was passed last year.
DeepSeek data security experts alert to risks
Experts in security say AI chatbots such as DeepSeek are more dangerous because they process and store user interaction.
Many AI firms use chatbot data to enhance their models. This raises privacy concerns regarding possible government surveillance.
CNN reported that NordVPN’s security expert Adrianus Warmenhoven said that users should be aware of the fact that data they share with the platform may be subject to access by government authorities under China’s cybersecurity laws. These laws require companies to provide data to officials upon their request.
DeepSeek isn’t just being scrutinized by the United States. Australia, Italy and Taiwan are among the countries that have taken action to reduce DeepSeek’s influence. They cite similar security concerns.
DeepSeek’s rapid growth in AI has contributed to fears that China could soon surpass Silicon Valley in its dominance of artificial intelligence.
In the coming months, AI-related debates will intensify as lawmakers seek to tighten controls.
What is the DeepSeek Ban on Government Devices? US legislators introduce proposed legislation that may change as developments unfold
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