Australia has banned the Chinese AI company DeepSeek from government systems and devices due to national security concerns. The Australian government considers DeepSeek an "unacceptable risk" to government operations and has ordered its removal from federal computers and mobile devices. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated the ban is due to security threats, not the app's country of origin.

The Secretary of the Home Affairs Department issued a directive on January 4 mandating the removal of DeepSeek from all government devices and systems. Government employees are prohibited from using, downloading, or installing DeepSeek products on government systems.

The ban applies strictly to government systems and devices, and does not affect private citizens. Other countries, including South Korea, Ireland, France, and Italy, have also expressed concerns regarding DeepSeek’s data practices.

China has condemned the ban, viewing it as a form of "politicisation of economic, trade, and technological issues" and an ideological bias.

Cyber security experts have pointed out that DeepSeek's privacy policy involves collecting keystroke data and storing data in China, making it accessible to the Chinese government.

The U.S. has also taken similar measures against DeepSeek and other Chinese technologies, with federal agencies like NASA and the Pentagon implementing restrictions.

DeepSeek has been contacted for a response regarding the ban.

ANI