DeepSeek Banned on Some Canadian Government Devices Over Privacy Concerns

On February 7, 2025, it was reported that the Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot DeepSeek is now banned on specific Canadian government mobile devices due to significant privacy concerns. This decision has prompted other government departments to consider implementing similar restrictions.

Dominic Rochon, the chief information officer of the Treasury Board Secretariat, sent an email that highlighted these issues. The email indicated that DeepSeek engages in the "inappropriate" collection and retention of sensitive personal information, raising alarms about potential violations of privacy.

Currently, the application has been restricted from devices managed by Shared Services Canada (SSC), which provides digital services to various government departments. In his email, Rochon encouraged organizations within the government to collaborate with SSC to enforce the ban on all devices managed by different departments.

Additionally, he recommended that those not supported by SSC should also consider blocking DeepSeek on their networks and devices. This precautionary measure aims to safeguard government networks and protect sensitive data.

Background on DeepSeek

DeepSeek recently made headlines after its AI chatbot was released, with capabilities similar to popular applications like OpenAI's ChatGPT. The chatbot generated significant interest in financial markets, but the Beijing-based company's claims of developing the app using less energy and cheaper semiconductors raised eyebrows.

Security analysts have pointed out that DeepSeek collects a wide range of personal data, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and other user-generated content. This mass collection of data has triggered national security and privacy apprehensions akin to those experienced with the social media app TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

International Responses and Similarities to TikTok

Governments in the West are increasingly wary of Chinese technology firms, fearing the potential for data sharing with the Chinese government upon request. Such fears have led to various responses, including a temporary ban on TikTok in the U.S. and its prohibition on Canadian government devices back in 2023 due to similar security concerns.

Although TikTok faced a national security review that mandated it to shut down operations in Canada, the app remains accessible to the general public. Meanwhile, the developments around DeepSeek illustrate a growing trend among governments to reassess their reliance on technologies originating from nations like China, especially concerning sensitive information handling.

DeepSeek, privacy, government