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Microsoft employees join the list of those banned from using DeepSeek

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Data security and propaganda concerns cause Microsoft to restrict access

A person's hand using DeepSeek on their mobile phone
(Image credit: Adobe Stock)
  • Chinese chatbot DeepSeek is banned for Microsoft employees
  • Security and propaganda concerns cited by Microsoft
  • Government agencies have also banned the model

In a Senate hearing addressing US AI capabilities, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft Brad Smith has revealed the company's employees are not permitted to use the DeepSeek app.

Citing data security and propaganda concerns, Smith noted Microsoft also does not offer DeepSeek in its app store, arguing there is a risk user data will be stored in China and that DeepSeek’s responses to user enquiries could be influenced by “Chinese propaganda.”

Multiple government agencies have also banned the controversial AI model, including the US Department of Commerce and US Navy - and the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act” could soon see this expanded even further.

Security risks

AI models such as DeepSeek and ChatGPT have been criticized for being a bit of a privacy nightmare, especially given the information users feed into the chatbots - and the personal data that the models collect and store.

The US Congress specifically described DeepSeek as a “profound threat” to national security and privacy, collecting vast amounts of data including "chat history, device details, and even the way a person types."

"Closer inspection reveals that the app siphons data back to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), creates security vulnerabilities for its users, and relies on a model that covertly censors and manipulates information pursuant to Chinese law," the Congress report outlined.

DeepSeek’s privacy policy confirms it does store data on Chinese servers, and the data is subject to Chinese law, which does ensure co-operation with Chinese intelligence agencies.

The model also heavily censors topics sensitive to Chinese security.

The chatbot also suffered a significant data breach, which exposed over a million records and fed into the concerns about AI models and the management and protection of user information.

Via TechCrunch

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Ellen Jennings-Trace
Ellen Jennings-Trace
Staff Writer

Ellen has been writing for almost four years, with a focus on post-COVID policy whilst studying for BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Cardiff, followed by an MA in Political Communication. Before joining TechRadar Pro as a Junior Writer, she worked for Future Publishing’s MVC content team, working with merchants and retailers to upload content.

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