The Executive Yuan announced a complete ban on the use of the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) app DeepSeek in the public sector, a move former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Central Policy Committee director Alex Tsai (蔡正元) criticized as being “foolish beyond description.”
As a result, the Ministry of Digital Affairs was smeared as the “Ministry of National Isolation.”
However, other nations have followed suit with similar bans — definitive proof that Taiwan made the correct decision.
South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo has reported that South Korea’s central and local governments, along with some companies, have also banned the use of DeepSeek. After the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Defense fired the first shots, other government agencies, including the Ministry of Unification, also issued clear orders prohibiting civil servants from using DeepSeek on government computers and mobile devices.
South Korean cities such as Seoul, Incheon and Daegu have taken similar measures, prompting some financial institutions and private enterprises to follow suit. The nation’s largest mobile chat app operator, Kakao Corp, was the first large technology company to respond.
The South Korean Ministry of Education also decided to ban DeepSeek, indicating that all affiliated agencies and schools should do the same. The ban applies to kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools. Institutions of higher education are permitted to use the app for academic research and educational purposes so long as cybersecurity precautions are taken.
That is very similar to Taiwan’s policy, where public universities and research institutions are allowed to use it only after gaining approval and taking necessary control measures.
The Australian government on Tuesday last week announced a comprehensive ban of DeepSeek from all government devices and systems. Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke instructed all government departments to ensure that DeepSeek does not remain on any systems. The decision was made following an assessment by Australia’s intelligence agencies that concluded that it poses unacceptable risks, with users potentially facing malware attacks at any time.
Since the presidential transition, the US has yet to issue a comprehensive ban on DeepSeek, but the US Navy and NASA have already prohibited its use, with the US Navy issuing an e-mail stating that DeepSeek is not to be used “in any capacity” whether for work-related tasks or personal use. According to the memo, it is “imperative” that personnel “refrain from downloading, installing or using the DeepSeek model” to eliminate all possibility of potential personal data leakage and prevent it from falling into the control of state-owned telecoms connected to the Chinese military.
The latest development in the US is that a bipartisan pair of US representatives on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence introduced a “no DeepSeek on government devices” bill on Thursday last week. It would ban federal employees from using DeepSeek on government devices to prevent the Chinese government from using the platform to conduct surveillance and spread disinformation.
As for the more conservative and cautious Japanese government, aside from Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation Taira Masaaki’s reminder to public servants to avoid using DeepSeek until cybersecurity concerns are resolved, a warning was issued to all government departments. It emphasized the need to strictly adhere to the rule prohibiting the use of generative AI to handle sensitive information.
Taiwan is at the forefront of the threat from Chinese cyberattacks, and cybersecurity is national security. As such, allowing DeepSeek to infiltrate the nation that would be “foolish beyond description.” The DeepSeek ban was a correct proactive measure taken ahead of other nations.
Chen Yung-chang is a freelance writer based in Taipei.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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