Italy’s data protection authority, Garante, announced on Thursday that it had ordered the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after the company failed to address concerns about its privacy policy.
The regulator had raised questions about DeepSeek’s use of personal data, requesting details on what data is collected, its sources, the legal basis for collection, its intended purposes, and whether it is stored in China.
The Garante’s decision to block the service aimed to safeguard the data of Italian users, following a response from DeepSeek’s suppliers that was deemed “insufficient” by the watchdog.
DeepSeek has not yet issued a statement on the matter.
The Chinese company claimed its newly launched AI models are comparable to or better than those of leading U.S. companies, offering them at a fraction of the cost. Its AI assistant has surpassed ChatGPT in popularity, becoming the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store in the U.S.
The Garante’s order has taken effect immediately, and an investigation into the matter has been launched.
Other European regulators in Ireland and France have also raised concerns about DeepSeek’s chatbot privacy policy.
In response to the Garante’s inquiries, DeepSeek stated that it had removed its AI assistant from Italian app stores after its privacy policy came under scrutiny. However, Agostino Ghiglia, a member of the Italian data authority, noted that DeepSeek refused to cooperate with local regulations, worsening its position.
“If there is no cooperation, DeepSeek will continue to be blocked in Italy,” Ghiglia added.
Although some Italian users who had previously downloaded the app still reported receiving responses, the web version of the service remains active.
“Citizens have the right to consent based on how their data is handled, and servers in China cannot offer the same guarantees as those in Europe,” Ghiglia emphasized.
Italy’s Garante is known for its proactive stance on AI regulation and previously imposed a temporary ban on Microsoft-backed ChatGPT over suspected breaches of EU privacy laws.
