A new bill to be introduced in the U.S. Congress on Thursday, seeks to ban DeepSeek chatbot application from government-owned devices due to security concerns.
Lawmakers fear the app could expose sensitive user data to the Chinese government, raising national security risks.
The legislation, drafted by Representatives Darin LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, and Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, follows a similar approach taken against TikTok, which was barred from government devices over concerns about Chinese influence.
That ban later escalated into broader efforts to restrict the company’s operations in the U.S.
As members of the House Intelligence Committee, LaHood and Gottheimer argue that DeepSeek’s AI tool may be collecting and storing confidential data, including government contracts, financial records, and other proprietary documents.
They claim the chatbot’s underlying code is linked to China’s ruling party, increasing the risk of data exposure.
The proposed ban reflects growing bipartisan concerns in Washington about Chinese technology firms and their potential ties to Beijing.
Lawmakers have intensified scrutiny of companies with Chinese connections, fearing they could be used to gather intelligence or influence key sectors.
If passed, the bill would prohibit federal employees from using DeepSeek’s chatbot on official devices, reinforcing ongoing efforts to secure government data from potential foreign access.
It could also pave the way for broader restrictions on AI applications suspected of posing security threats.
