German watchdog asks Apple, Google to look into blocking DeepSeek


06/30/2025

Berlin's Data Protection Commissioner Meike Kamp has requested that Apple Inc. and Google (a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.) think about prohibiting the app developed by the Chinese firm DeepSeek, according to CNBC, referencing a statement from the regulatory body.



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According to Kamp, DeepSeek has not adequately shown that the protection of German user data in China matches the protection level found in the European Union. “The Chinese government has extensive access rights to personal information within the domain of Chinese firms,” she said.

European regulations prevent companies from moving data outside the European Union unless specific safeguards exist in the receiving countries. 

“This incident might result in a ban across the EU since Germany adheres to the same regulations as the rest of the EU and the UK,” said Matt Holman, a lawyer. 

He claims that implementing such a ban would necessitate EU regulators to come to an agreement on its appropriateness. The lawyer stated that if Apple and Google take DeepSeek off their app stores, it would essentially amount to a ban.

source: cnbc.com