Attorneys General from 21 states are urgently pressing Congress to ban the Chinese AI app DeepSeek from government devices, warning it could serve as a digital Trojan horse for the Chinese Communist Party to access sensitive American data.
At a Glance
- 21 State Attorneys General have signed a letter urging Congress to ban Chinese-owned DeepSeek AI app from government devices
- Three states – Texas, New York, and Virginia – have already implemented bans on state-owned devices and networks
- DeepSeek is owned by High-Flyer, a Chinese hedge fund, raising concerns about data being transmitted to the Chinese Communist Party
- Several countries including Canada, Australia, and Taiwan have already blocked the app due to security risks
- Bipartisan congressional representatives have introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on federal devices
States Lead the Charge Against Chinese AI
In a proactive move to protect government infrastructure, Texas became the first state to implement a ban on DeepSeek on January 31. The ban also included other Chinese-affiliated applications like RedNote, Webull, Tiger Brokers, Moomoo, and Lemon8. New York followed with its own prohibition on February 10, with Virginia enacting a similar ban the following day through Executive Order 26.
Each state cited serious national security concerns regarding the AI application’s connections to the Chinese government and potential for data harvesting or espionage activities.
“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps. To achieve that mission, I ordered Texas state agencies to ban Chinese government-based AI and social media apps from all state-issued devices. State agencies and employees responsible for handling critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information must be protected from malicious espionage operations by the Chinese Communist Party. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors,” Governor Greg Abbott said.
National Security Concerns Prompt Wider Action
The push to ban DeepSeek has now expanded beyond individual states. A coalition of 21 Attorneys General has signed a letter describing China as a “clear and present danger” to the United States and characterizing DeepSeek as “another tool for Chinese spies to attack America’s national security.” The concerns center on the app’s ability to collect extensive user data including chat history, keystrokes, and IP addresses.
DeepSeek is an AI-powered search and data analysis platform owned by High-Flyer, a quantitative hedge fund based in Hangzhou, China. Its AI capabilities are similar to those offered by platforms like ChatGPT, but at a lower cost, allowing it to potentially gain widespread adoption among government employees and contractors.
Congressional Action and International Precedent
The movement to restrict DeepSeek has gained bipartisan support in Congress. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green has introduced legislation to outlaw the app on federal devices. Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood have co-sponsored a bill with the same goal, while also sending letters to 47 Governors and the Mayor of Washington, D.C., encouraging state-level bans.
Several countries have already taken decisive action against DeepSeek, with Canada, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Italy blocking the application due to security concerns. The Attorneys General argue that these precedents, along with the earlier TikTok ban, provide a clear roadmap for congressional action against DeepSeek.
Technical Vulnerabilities Identified
Security analysts have identified specific technical concerns with DeepSeek that heighten the risk to government systems. The Associated Press reported that the application contains code that could transfer user login information to China Mobile, a state-owned company that has been barred from operating in the United States due to security concerns. Additionally, DeepSeek stores user data on servers in China, where it would be subject to Chinese law requiring companies to share data with government authorities upon request.
The Chinese government has denied allegations of data manipulation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that “The Chinese government attaches great importance to and legally protects data privacy and security.” However, American officials remain unconvinced given China’s history of intellectual property theft and cyber espionage targeting American institutions.
