Chinese-owned app is now banned on devices and networks overseen by Shared Services Canada
OTTAWA — The federal government is barring the use of Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek’s chatbot on government devices over “serious privacy concerns” and fears the company could inappropriately collect and retain sensitive data.
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In a memo to government heads on Thursday, the government’s Chief Information Officer Dominic Rochon said the Chinese-owned app — which unexpectedly became one of the world’s most downloaded last week — is now banned on devices and networks overseen by Shared Services Canada (SSC).
He also called on heads of departments and agencies that don’t use SSC devices and networks to block the application and website on their networks.
“Due to serious privacy concerns associated with the inappropriate collection and retention of sensitive personal information, and as a precautionary measure to protect government networks and data, it is recommended that departments and agencies restrict the use of the DeepSeek chatbot on government devices,” Rochon wrote in the memo obtained by the National Post.
The ban does not extend to Canadians’ personal devices.
DeepSeek shocked the tech world last month when the small Chinese startup launched its AI model that reportedly matched or surpassed existing products, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in various benchmarks, including programming and reasoning.
Its emergence proceeded to disrupt the stock market, causing significant drops in the value of AI-related companies like Nvidia. In a short period, the Chinese company’s success has reignited the AI race between China and the United States, challenging U.S. leadership in the sector.
But it was also controversial for how it applied Chinese censorship laws to some of its responses. For example, the app ignores questions about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Even more concerning for Western governments is how the company handles users’ personal information in light of sweeping Chinese national security laws that allow its government to compel companies in China to hand over data.
Those concerns are what led the Canadian government to ban TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, on public service networks and move last fall to force TikTok Canada to dissolve.
In his Thursday memo, Rochon also said his office is reviewing its policies on government device management to ensure they are up to date. He also said SSC is developing a “more rigorous approach” to how it manages government devices under its purview.
The federal government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
National Post, with additional reporting from Stewart Lewis
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