US lawmakers urge states to restrict Chinese AI app DeepSeek over security concerns

ISTANBUL

Amid rising US concerns over the Chinese AI app DeepSeek storing user data in China, two member of the US Congress are urging state governors to prohibit its use on government devices.

In a letter obtained first by NBC News, Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood cautioned 47 governors and the mayor of Washington, DC that DeepSeek may pose cybersecurity and data privacy threats. They also warned that the app could potentially allow foreign adversaries to gain access to sensitive government information.

Three of the 50 US states have already banned the app on government devices: Texas, New York, and Virginia.

Gottheimer, who is running for New Jersey governor, and LaHood have supported a House bill to ban DeepSeek on federal devices. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate last week.

DeepSeek says that it stores user data on servers located in China. The US House members expressed concerns that the Chinese Communist Party is using DeepSeek to steal American users' data.

The letter says the party “has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans.”

The US has already raised concerns on companies tied to the party, most notably Huawei and Byte Dance (the owner of TikTok), which “pose a direct threat to our national security,” the letter adds.

Earlier this year, the congressional administration office warned staffers against downloading the app on any government-issued device.

The Chinese government has previously dismissed concerns about its attempts to manipulate or exploit user data from Chinese-based tech products.

“The Chinese government attaches great importance to and legally protects data privacy and security,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters last month.

He added: “It has never and will never require companies or individuals to collect or store data in violation of the law.”

Nevertheless, Gottheimer and LaHood argue that state governments should steer clear of such risks.

"Enacting these bans would clearly demonstrate that your state is committed to maintaining top-tier security and protecting sensitive state, federal, and personal data from one of our key adversaries," they wrote.