The Indian government is keeping a careful eye on DeepSeek’s AI model’s ascent to the top of the app store rankings, paying special attention to any possible threats to citizen sovereignty and data security. This investigation follows accusations that the app has ties to China, which raise concerns about the preservation of user data and its exploitation, according to media.
Concerns over data privacy
The DeepSeek app and related AI models are open-source and may operate locally on smartphones, but its privacy practices have drawn criticism, according to sources cited in the paper. These regulations specifically raise concerns about the cross-border transmission of sensitive data by mentioning that user data may be kept on servers in China.
According to a senior government official cited in the paper, there is now nothing concerning, but the government would take the same course of action as before if any problems involving data transmission occur.
Amid increasing border tensions, India had earlier banned many Chinese applications, including WeChat and TikTok, in 2020 for national security reasons.
Potential action based on data flow monitoring
In the upcoming week, Indian authorities said, a better picture of how the data of Indian individuals is being managed will become apparent. The government will take the appropriate measures in compliance with the nation’s IT legislation if any infractions are found.
According to the DeepSeek app’s privacy statement, experts think that the data gathered by the app is probably kept on servers located in China.
The policy confirms, “We store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People’s Republic of China,” and guarantees that any information sent outside of the user’s nation will abide by all relevant data protection regulations.
Global scrutiny of DeepSeek
Several nations have voiced concerns over DeepSeek’s data practices after the app became well-known and became the most downloaded free app in the US App Store. Along with Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, DeepSeek remains one of the best free productivity applications available in India on the Google Play Store.
While Australian authorities have cautioned its residents, the United States has already begun an examination into the national security implications of DeepSeek’s strategy. The app’s handling of user data has also drawn criticism from Italy’s data protection office.
According to privacy experts, the software may be able to create comprehensive user profiles based on the questions and prompts users enter, even if no data is stored. According to the news source, these profiles might thereafter be used maliciously.
Government oversight
At the highest levels, Indian authorities are keeping a careful eye on events, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of Home Affairs, and law enforcement organizations. If any suspect data transfers are found, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will also be notified.
According to an official cited in the paper, the regulations provide the government the authority to stop these data transfers; they are enabling provisions, and the government will decide when it is required.
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