Germany Demands Apple and Google to Remove DeepSeek Amid Data Privacy Concerns

The German regulator has demanded that Apple and Google remove the DeepSeek app from their stores in the country.

Berlin’s Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Maja Kamp, stated that the AI startup has not provided “convincing evidence” regarding the protection of user data in compliance with EU laws.

Kamp asserts that Chinese authorities have extensive rights to access personal information related to national companies.

Her office requested DeepSeek to adhere to EU data transfer regulations or withdraw the app from the country, but the startup did not comply.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), companies are prohibited from sending data outside the EU unless specific safeguards are in place in the destination countries.

Kamp is concerned that Chinese authorities could gain access to information about German users.

It remains uncertain whether Google and Apple will act on the demands.

Should Germany pursue the matter further, the Chinese company’s app could face a ban across the entire EU, according to AI and data specialist Matt Holman from Cripps.

“Certainly, it’s possible that this incident could lead to a ban throughout the EU, because the regulations applied in Germany are the same as those in other union countries and in the UK,” he noted.

However, this action would require consensus among regulators within the bloc. If Apple and Google remove DeepSeek from their app stores, it would essentially equate to a ban across the EU, Holman explained.

“The implications for DeepSeek could be quite serious. Access to the data of German citizens would be restricted. This could soon extend to the rest of the EU if other national regulators follow suit—which means the markets of the EU and potentially the UK could be closed off if Apple and Google disable the app,” he added.

Previously, Italy and several other countries and agencies have prohibited the firm’s AI products from their app stores, citing similar concerns regarding data protection.