Germany: Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information requested DeepSeek to remove its AI chatbot app from German app stores

On 6 May 2025, the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information requested Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence to remove its DeepSeek AI chatbot apps from German app stores, cease illegal transfers of personal data to China, or meet the legal requirements for lawful third-country transfers. The Commissioner stated that the transfer of user data by DeepSeek to China is unlawful as the company failed to demonstrate that German user data is protected in China at a level equivalent to that of the European Union. The Commissioner noted that Chinese authorities possess extensive access rights to personal data held by Chinese companies and that DeepSeek users in China lack enforceable rights and effective legal remedies as guaranteed in the European Union. The Commissioner added that Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd.'s DeepSeek service violates Article 46(1) of the GDPR by transferring collected user data to Chinese data processors and storing it on servers in China without an adequacy decision or appropriate safeguards.