Bipartisan Legislation Targets DeepSeek Ban on US Government Devices

 US lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill to ban the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek from all government-issued devices, citing national security concerns. The legislation is spearheaded by Illinois Republican Darin LaHood and New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer, both members of the House Select Committee on Intelligence. The move reflects growing fears about potential Chinese government access to sensitive US user data.

The plan targets government-issued devices exclusively, leaving private citizens free to use DeepSeek. However, experts see parallels with the earlier TikTok ban, which began with restrictions on federal devices before evolving into broader nationwide bans.

The lawmakers’ decision follows an analysis by Feroot Security CEO Ivan Tsarynny, who concluded that “there is no doubt” US user data is being transmitted to China. In response, LaHood stated, “Under no circumstances can we allow a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) company to obtain sensitive government or personal data.” Read more.

DeepSeek, a generative AI program affiliated with the CCP, has raised red flags for its practice of collecting and storing user data without transparency. This information could potentially be used by the Chinese government, escalating concerns about the platform’s implications for US national security.

The US isn’t alone in taking action against DeepSeek. Both Taiwan and Australia have banned the chatbot on government-issued devices, while Italy has gone further, enacting a complete ban on the app throughout the country.

This proposed ban is part of a broader crackdown on Chinese-owned tech platforms in the US. TikTok has already faced similar scrutiny, with federal and state agencies banning its use on official devices. Additionally, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has been given a tight deadline to sell the app or face a nationwide ban. These actions reflect bipartisan efforts to address security risks posed by Chinese technology. Learn more.