cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/42887732

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Belgium has joined a growing list of countries banning Chinese generative AI tool DeepSeek from devices used by government officials and public servants after a cybersecurity agency raised concerns.

Federal public administration employees had until Monday to uninstall DeepSeek’s apps from all work devices, according to a note circulated by the ministry and reported in local media.

The minister for public action and modernisation, Vanessa Matz, announced the plan in September after receiving the results of an analysis by the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium of the use of AI tools in the administration. The ban is preventive, according to the minister.

“Trust in the government rests on fundamental principles of prevention, protection of citizens’ personal data, and cybersecurity,” Matz said in a statement. “By banning the use of this system, we are demonstrating vigilance to ensure that our government departments remain a safe, secure, and exemplary environment.”

The government added that “risks to the protection of data transmitted to the DeepSeek AI tool” merit the precautionary ban, per a press release.

Other countries in Europe have taken similar steps: Czechia and the Netherlands barred the use of DeepSeek by government employees on work devices in July and February respectively. Italy, Australia, Taiwan, and South Korea have also announced measures to protect their citizens’ privacy and security.

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