Excerpt from BBC Article, Published on Feb 18, 2025.
South Korea has accused Chinese AI startup DeepSeek of sharing user data with ByteDance, the Beijing-based owner of TikTok. The country’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) confirmed DeepSeek’s communication with ByteDance but has yet to determine the extent of the data transfer. The controversy has led to DeepSeek’s removal from Apple and Google app stores in South Korea, following concerns over data protection. Before the ban, the AI-powered chatbot had been downloaded over a million times in the country. Existing users, however, can still access the app through web browsers.
ByteDance, a company frequently scrutinized for its alleged data-sharing practices, is again at the center of a privacy debate. The US cybersecurity firm Security Scorecard raised alarms in February, identifying DeepSeek’s direct links to ByteDance’s analytics and performance monitoring systems. The firm also suggested that user behavior and device metadata might have been transmitted to ByteDance’s servers, alongside data linked to Chinese state-owned entities. Concerns over ByteDance’s data privacy practices are not new. The company has been under global scrutiny due to fears that the Chinese government could access user data under the country’s National Intelligence Law. Similar concerns led the US Supreme Court to uphold a ban on TikTok, a ruling currently on hold until April 5 as former President Donald Trump seeks a resolution.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s PIPC noted that DeepSeek lacked transparency in its privacy policies and urged users to exercise caution. The regulator found evidence of third-party data transfers but confirmed that DeepSeek is cooperating with the investigation. With multiple nations—including Australia and Taiwan—banning DeepSeek from government devices, concerns over ByteDance’s data-sharing practices continue to grow. The BBC has reached out to ByteDance, DeepSeek, and its parent company, High Flyer, for comment.
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