Germany Orders Apple and Google to Remove "Chinese DeepSeek" from App Stores

Germany: "Did Not Comply with Authorities' Request for Safeguards"
Italy and the Netherlands Also Block Use of DeepSeek

German regulators have officially notified Apple and Google to remove the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) application DeepSeek from their app stores.

According to major foreign media outlets on June 26 (local time), Maike Kamp, the German Data Protection Commissioner, stated that this request was made because DeepSeek has been illegally transferring users' personal information to China.

She explained that the request was issued because DeepSeek failed to comply with the authorities' previous demands last month to either remove the app from app stores in Germany or to implement safeguards when collecting user data and transmitting it to China.

Commissioner Kamp pointed out, "DeepSeek has not provided convincing evidence that the data of German users is protected in China to a level equivalent to that of the European Union (EU)."

As a result, Apple and Google are now in a position where they must review the German authorities' request and decide whether to remove the app.

Previously, Italy also blocked DeepSeek from its app stores due to a lack of information regarding the use of personal data. The Netherlands has already banned the use of DeepSeek on government devices.