- The directive requires all government entities to remove DeepSeek from systems and prevent its use on mobile devices
Australia has banned the use of DeepSeek on all government devices, citing privacy and malware risks associated with the Chinese-developed AI chatbot.
The decision, announced by Home Affairs Secretary Stephanie Foster on Wednesday, follows advice from security agencies. The directive requires all government entities to remove DeepSeek from systems and prevent its use on mobile devices.
DeepSeek, developed by a China-based startup, has gained global attention since its release last month. However, concerns over its data practices have led several countries, including South Korea, Italy, and France, to impose restrictions.
“This is not a symbolic move. We don’t want to expose government systems to these applications,” said government cybersecurity envoy Andrew Charlton, warning that DeepSeek could compromise data privacy and pose malware risks.
The ban adds to ongoing tech and trade tensions between China and Australia.
Discussion about this post