section_path: Restrictions
section_name: Restrictions
paragraph_text: Restrictions
  
  Many countries have raised concerns about data security and DeepSeek's use of personal data. On 28 January 2025, the Italian data protection authority announced that it is seeking additional information on DeepSeek's collection and use of personal data. On the same day, the United States National Security Council announced that it had started a national security review of DeepSeek, and the United States Navy instructed all its members not to use DeepSeek due to "security and ethical concerns." On 30 January 2025, Italy's data protection authority, ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after the Chinese artificial intelligence startup failed to address the regulator's concerns over its privacy policy. Italian users who downloaded DeepSeek on mobile devices before the ban reported being able to use the chatbot and having access to the web version of DeepSeek after the ban.
  
  Three days later, South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission opened an inquiry into DeepSeek's use of personal information; the Dutch Data Protection Authority launched an investigation of DeepSeek; Taiwan's digital ministry advised its government departments against using the DeepSeek service to "prevent information security risks"; and Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a state ban on government-issued devices for DeepSeek, along with Xiaohongshu and Lemon8.
  
  In February 2025, access to DeepSeek was banned on the New South Wales Department of Customer Service 's devices. That same month, Australia, South Korea, and Canada banned DeepSeek from government devices, and South Korea suspended new downloads of DeepSeek due to risks of personal information misuse. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce prohibited DeepSeek on their government devices, due to the danger of disclosing proprietary information with the Chinese Communist Party.