Does DeepSeek steal data?

Its policy says it collects your inputs and stores them in China, and uses them for training. That's disclosed, not secret, but it's a reason to keep business data out.

Is DeepSeek banned in the UK?

We found no general UK ban as of 17 October 2026. Check your own IT rules before installing it on work devices.

Home › Answers › Data, privacy and GDPR

Is DeepSeek safe to use for business?

Last checked: 17 October 2026 · The AI Till, UK

Short answer

Be careful. DeepSeek's privacy policy says it collects, processes and stores your personal data in the People's Republic of China, and uses what you type to train its models. The UK government has said inputs sent to DeepSeek are subject to Chinese law. Don't put customer, staff or commercially sensitive information into the DeepSeek app or website.

What DeepSeek's privacy policy says

From the policy last updated 10 February 2026:

Who runs it: Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd., registered in China.
Where data goes: collected, processed and stored in China.
What it collects: your prompts, uploaded files, chat history, device details, IP address and approximate location.
Training: your data is used to train and improve its models; UK users have the right to opt out.
Sharing: with service providers, its corporate group, and law enforcement or public authorities where it believes it's required.

UK government and ICO

In a written answer to Parliament in February 2025, the government said data sent to DeepSeek is subject to Chinese law and advised users to use discretion and follow NCSC guidance. On 8 October 2026 the ICO said DeepSeek was one of ten AI developers that made, or committed to, data protection changes after its review.

A safer way to try it

DeepSeek's models are also offered by other providers who host them outside China. That changes where your data goes, but read that provider's terms first. For everyday business use, a business plan from a tool with UK GDPR terms is simpler. See is ChatGPT safe for business?

Sources

Checked 17 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

More on data, privacy and gdpr

All data, privacy and gdpr answers · All answers · Guides · AI tools directory

Get one useful AI tool in your inbox each weekday

Free, plain English, five minutes to read. Unsubscribe any time.

See our privacy notice.