Is DeepSeek Safe? Unlike mistakenly clicking on links from untrustworthy websites and facing device virus attacks, the security of DeepSeek is a much deeper topic. This concern stems from DeepSeek’s origins in China, which leads people to worry about whether their data will be exposed when using it.
Today, we will guide you through the background of DeepSeek, its privacy policy, and other important information related to your data security, and ultimately provide you with usage recommendations.
What Is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is a startup founded in Hangzhou, China. Its flagship product, DeepSeek, is an artificial intelligence designed to serve humanity. Upon its release, it caused a huge sensation. Its low-cost development and efficient answering capabilities led many to compare it with ChatGPT.
According to DeepSeek’s official statement, the training cost of its foundational model V3 is approximately $6 million. Currently, all of its models are free and open-source, and they can be applied in various fields such as programming, writing, mathematical reasoning, accuracy, and efficiency.
However, DeepSeek’s privacy policies outside of China have sparked significant controversy, discouraging many AI enthusiasts.
Related: DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: A Comprehensive Comparison
Why Discuss Whether DeepSeek Is Safe?
First, DeepSeek is developed in China, where data management laws differ from those in the United States. This has raised concerns among users about the potential exposure of their personal data. Similar to the privacy controversies surrounding Chinese tech giants like TikTok and Huawei, both the government and the public remain highly vigilant about data security.
Second, as a powerful AI model, DeepSeek has the potential to generate misinformation, which could mislead the public and fuel concerns about its ethical implications. So, knowing its purposes for these data is critical.
Third, DeepSeek has recently been targeted by large-scale cyberattacks, raising questions about whether critical information may have been compromised.
After addressing these issues, we will know whether DeepSeek is safe to use.
What User Data Does DeepSeek Collect and What Is It Used for?
First, we’ll show you the data that will be collected by DeepSeek and explain what they are used for.
Data That Can Be Collected
According to the DeepSeek privacy policy, it collects the information of your signed-up account, including your date of birth, phone number, password, username, and email address. Also, the text, prompt, audio, file, and other content you ask DeepSeek to deal with will be stored. In other words, all the information you provide to DeepSeek will be collected.
DeepSeek collects all automated data, including technical details such as your device information, keystroke patterns, and IP address, as well as usage information, payment data, and additional information from third parties. Of particular note are the keystroke patterns, as they track your specific actions on the keyboard, including typing speed, rhythm, and even the words you type.
What Is It Used for?
Overall, DeepSeek collects this information for account management, identity verification, enhancing your personalized experience, improving or optimizing services, customer support, and advertising and marketing. These purposes are common among many AI tools, including ChatGPT. According to DeepSeek’s official statement, this data will be stored on secure servers in China. This means that the government, due to national security and public safety reasons, may request DeepSeek to provide user data.
So, is it safe to use DeepSeek in the USA? Looking back at the accusations of alleged data breaches involving TikTok, DeepSeek appears to have cases that support its credibility. Objectively speaking, if a regular user only utilizes DeepSeek for its intended purposes, the chances of personal information being submitted are very minimal.
Can You Delete Your Data on DeepSeek?
Yes. You can delete your data by deleting your DeepSeek account and chat history. However, DeepSeek does not mention whether the data will still be stored on its servers after users delete it. Additionally, the retention period for the data is not specified.
Therefore, it’s possible that even if you delete your account after posting illegal or inappropriate statements, your data could still be handed over to the authorities.
Related: Fix Can’t Sign Up or Log Into DeepSeek – 10 Solutions
Enhance the Safety of Your Data on DeepSeek
Use a VPN: A VPN can hide your IP address and give DeepSeek a virtual IP address. Also, when you visit the website of DeepSeek, your data might be tracked by third-party website servers. You can choose a reliable and powerful VPN like LightningX VPN. It is suitable for all popular AI tools like DeepSeek, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. It abides by a strict no-logs policy. In addition to privacy protection, it has many useful features:
- It has a server fleet with 2,000+ nodes in 50+ countries.
- You can set it up on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Android TV, and Linux.
- It supports 3 simultaneous devices and customization for more fees.
- The monthly subscription is affordable.
Seek help from DeepSeek service: According to DeepSeek official, if you have any questions about your data, you can contact their service: [email protected] or [email protected].
Avoid sharing sensitive information: If you are a member of a significant organization, refrain from disclosing any critical details about yourself or your organization to DeepSeek.
Disable Cookies for DeepSeek in your browser: While DeepSeek allows you to disable cookies, doing so may impact on the functionality of certain services.
FAQs About “Is DeepSeek Safe?”
Q: Is DeepSeek better than ChatGPT?
In technical aspects, DeepSeek’s is better than ChatGPT. However, ChatGPT excels in natural conversation, versatility, and ease of use across a variety of tasks.
Q: Was DeepSeek banned?
DeepSeek is banned in some countries including Australia, South Korea, and Italy. And other countries might follow suit.
Q: Is ChatGPT safe to use?
It depends. You shouldn’t provide sensitive information to any AI tool. But for general usage, it is safe.
Q: How to delete my DeepSeek account?
- Open the DeepSeek app and tap the two-dash icon in the upper left corner.
- Tap your profile and then the Delete account button.
- Tap Delete again to confirm the action.
