DeepSeek’s ‘hidden code’ is fueling AI data fears 

DeepSeek appears to be hiding a deep secret involving alleged links to US-banned China Mobile. “Hidden code” has reportedly been found embedded in the AI startup’s website, funneling direct data transmissions to the state-run telecom giant China Mobile.

Leading cybersecurity company Feroot Security discovered the ‘digital fingerprint technology,’ which has since been verified by multiple IT experts in an ABC News report.

“It’s mind-boggling that we are unknowingly allowing China to survey Americans, and we’re doing nothing about it,” Ivan Tsarynny, the chief executive of Feroot Security, told the Associated Press news agency. 

“It’s hard to believe that something like this was accidental. There are so many unusual things to this. You know that saying, ‘Where there’s smoke, there’s fire?’ In this instance, there’s a lot of smoke,” he added.

Seek and you will find:

• China Mobile and DeepSeek have yet to comment on the coding revelations.
• Last month, the Chinese artificial intelligence app created a sensation when it topped the download charts in the United States and other countries.
• DeepSeek’s “innovative engineering” and low-cost rise appeared to upend Silicon Valley’s billion-dollar AI strategy and state-of-the-art chips before the ‘shock and awe’ wore off.
• Even then, the company acknowledged that all personal user data would be stored in Communist Party-ruled China, probably on government servers.

Controversy swirled around DeepSeek after its launch.

Delve deeper: Alleged links with China Mobile, which is banned in the United States amid claims it has close ties with the People’s Liberation Army, will only heighten national security issues. Already DeepSeek has been blacklisted in a number of countries.

Between the lines: “I think there’s the intention by the CCP to collect data of Americans and user data worldwide,” Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the US House Select Committee on China, told ABC News.

Big picture: Controversy swirled around DeepSeek after its launch. Research group OpenAI told the Financial Times there was evidence that the Chinese software firm used ChatGPT datasets to train its chatbot. This would be a breach of the terms of service.

China Factor comment: Just like the TikTok data saga, the stage is set for another round of national security hide-and-seek between Washington and Beijing.