DeepSeek Halts App Downloads in South Korea Amid Privacy Concerns

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has temporarily suspended downloads of its chatbot applications in South Korea while working with local privacy regulators to address concerns, officials confirmed Monday, according to AP and local media.

The rising AI player pulled its apps from South Korean versions of Apple’s App Store and Google Play on Saturday night, working in tandem with the country’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) to beef up privacy safeguards before any potential relaunch.

While the move doesn’t impact DeepSeek’s existing mobile users or desktop clients, Nam Seok, who heads the commission’s investigation arm, urged South Korean users to remove the app and steer clear of inputting personal data until the privacy issues are addressed.

Multiple South Korean government bodies and corporations have already blocked DeepSeek from their networks, citing concerns over the AI model’s data collection practices.