TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Minister of Digital Affairs Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男) addressed cybersecurity concerns surrounding DeepSeek on Wednesday (March 12), stating that if the app sends personal data to backend servers, it could be restricted under the "Personal Data Protection Act" (個資法). However, the situation remains under observation.
The Executive Yuan has already banned the use of DeepSeek AI services in government agencies, covering cloud services, apps, and local downloads. Huang noted that while South Korea and Italy have partially prohibited the app, many other countries have imposed comprehensive bans on public sector use.
Taiwan, as a democratic nation, considers the act when contemplating restrictions on civilian use, but Huang noted that more evidence is necessary. He expressed concern about the technical challenges in banning DeepSeek specifically, as many generative AI apps connect to backend engines like ChatGPT.
He stated, "If we simply ban the DeepSeek app, we cannot ensure that other apps do not connect to DeepSeek's backend servers. This is what worries me more." The complexity of detection and international trends remain focal points in ongoing discussions with national security agencies.