Germany Presses Apple and Google to Block Chinese AI App DeepSeek Citing Privacy Violations

Germany’s data protection authority has intensified its scrutiny of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence company, alleging that its global chatbot app unlawfully transfers German user data to China in violation of European Union data protection standards. 

Meike Kamp, Berlin’s data protection commissioner, publicly stated that DeepSeek has failed to demonstrate “convincingly” that personal data belonging to German users is protected in China at a level equivalent to that required under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The commissioner expressed concern that Chinese authorities, under local law, enjoy broad access rights to data handled by Chinese companies, rendering EU citizens’ data potentially vulnerable to unauthorized access once transferred outside the bloc.

Berlin Alleges Unlawful Data Transfers

In a move that could have significant implications for DeepSeek’s operations in Europe, Berlin’s regulator formally requested that Apple and Google conduct a “timely review” on whether to continue hosting DeepSeek’s app on their respective app stores. 

No direct avenue to contact DeepSeek has been available; CNBC reported that attempts have been made to reach out to the company’s privacy team. Apple and Google have yet to issue public statements regarding their intended response.

According to the Report, this latest action comes amid heightened scrutiny of DeepSeek across European jurisdictions. Earlier this year, Italian data regulators ordered a national block on the app, and Irish authorities requested information pertaining to DeepSeek’s data processing operations. 

DeepSeek’s rapid rise fueled by claims of cost-efficient AI model development using less advanced Nvidia hardware has drawn both commercial attention and regulatory concern, especially as millions of users in Europe have downloaded its chatbot app.

Potential for EU-wide Ban Grows

The fundamental legal issue hinges on GDPR provisions prohibiting the transfer of personal data out of the EU unless the receiving country offers protections deemed “essentially equivalent” to those in Europe, or unless specific legal safeguards are in place. 

Germany’s data protection office asserts that DeepSeek has not adequately met these requirements, and that the risk of Chinese authorities intercepting or accessing EU user data cannot be ruled out. 

Should Apple and Google comply with the request to remove the app from their platforms, access for German users would be terminated, which some legal experts believe would effectively constitute an EU-wide ban, given the consistency of GDPR regulations across member states and the UK.

Matt Holman, a specialist in AI and data law at Cripps, pointed out that moving from a German ban to a bloc-wide prohibition requires consensus among EU regulators, but acknowledged that enforcement action by two of the world’s most influential app store operators could have immediate, far-reaching consequences. 

Holman noted that if Apple and Google decide to disable the app across the EU, DeepSeek’s access to European and potentially UK markets would be severely restricted, curtailing further data collection from those regions.

This episode underscores the mounting regulatory challenges facing non-European AI service providers operating within the EU’s stringent privacy regime. 

The German data watchdog’s move signals further tightening of EU data sovereignty, particularly in light of growing concerns over data flows to jurisdictions with broad government access provisions. As the regulatory process unfolds, the precedent set in Germany may shape the future landscape for international AI operators across the continent.

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