Germany’s data protection commissioner is demanding that Apple and Google remove the popular Chinese AI app DeepSeek from their app stores, citing the illegal transfer of user data to China. The move escalates a standoff over data security and marks a significant challenge to the fast-growing tech startup.
Commissioner Meike Kamp stated on Friday that the company has failed to provide convincing evidence that it can protect German users’ data in China to the same standards as those in the European Union. “Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies,” she warned.
The request to the U.S. tech giants follows DeepSeek’s failure to comply with a previous request in May to either meet EU data transfer requirements or voluntarily withdraw the app from the German market.
DeepSeek, which claims its AI models can rival those from top U.S. firms at a fraction of the cost, is facing increasing scrutiny across Europe. Italy has already blocked the app from its stores, and the Netherlands has banned it on government devices.
The action in Germany adds to a growing international backlash over the data security policies of Chinese tech firms. U.S. lawmakers are also considering a bill that would ban American government agencies from using any AI models developed in China.
