Is DeepSeek safe? What happens to your data when you use it

Within weeks of its release, DeepSeek became the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store, overtaking ChatGPT and sparking headlines worldwide. Its advanced AI capabilities have already reshaped conversations about AI’s potential—and its risks. But with its growing popularity comes an important question: What happens to your data when you use DeepSeek?

Like other AI platforms, DeepSeek is trained on massive datasets collected from the internet, potentially including personal information. And, according to its privacy policy, it collects more than just what you type during your session—it also tracks things like your IP address, location, and even how you interact with other apps. For privacy-conscious users, that’s a big deal.

Lauren Hendry Parsons, Privacy Advocate at ExpressVPN, explains why these concerns shouldn’t be taken lightly: “DeepSeek’s privacy policy states it collects keystroke data, IP addresses, and even tracks actions outside the app. That alone should be enough to make people think twice about how much they’re willing to share.”

In this article, we’ll explore how DeepSeek collects and uses your data, the privacy risks you should be aware of, and how you can protect your information while using the latest AI tools.

What is DeepSeek?

DeepSeek is an AI chatbot developed by DeepSeek AI, a startup founded in 2023 by entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng. Unlike most AI platforms, DeepSeek is open source and completely free to users—a major factor behind its explosive popularity. This accessibility has made it a serious competitor to industry giants like ChatGPT, attracting a wide range of users eager to explore its advanced capabilities without the barriers of subscription fees.

The company claims its flagship AI model, DeepSeek-V3, was built using less than 6 million USD worth of computing power—a fraction of what OpenAI and Meta have spent training their own models. Despite the lower costs, DeepSeek’s AI is already being compared to leading models, and in some cases, even outperforming them.

DeepSeek is gaining attention for its advanced reasoning capabilities, and this test highlights why. Unlike ChatGPT-4o (bottom), which takes a broader, more interpretive approach, DeepSeek (top) delivers a precise, structured response that correctly distinguishes between a tire and a wheel.

This rapid success has sent shockwaves through the tech world. After DeepSeek’s launch, major tech stocks plummeted, wiping out over 1 trillion USD in market value. Nvidia, one of the biggest suppliers of AI chips, saw its stock drop 17% in a single day, marking the biggest single-day loss in U.S. stock market history.

But DeepSeek isn’t just making an impact on Wall Street. Its advanced AI capabilities have sparked discussions about how AI will shape cybersecurity, misinformation, and digital privacy moving forward. Experts have also raised concerns about its data collection practices, particularly how much user information it tracks and how that data might be used.

How does DeepSeek collect and use your data?

As with any AI chatbot, when you use DeepSeek, it’s not just a simple conversation—there’s a lot happening behind the scenes with your data. Here’s a breakdown of how DeepSeek collects and uses your information:

Keystroke tracking

Everything you type into DeepSeek is logged. This includes your messages, prompts, and any other text input. According to DeepSeek’s privacy policy, they collect your “text or audio input, prompt, uploaded files, feedback, chat history, or other content that you provide to our model and Services.”

IP address collection

DeepSeek also gathers technical information about your device, including your IP address. This helps them determine your approximate location and monitor how you’re accessing their services. The privacy policy states that they collect “device and network connection information when you access the Service. This information includes your device model, operating system, keystroke patterns or rhythms, IP address, and system language.”

Third-party data sources

Beyond what you directly provide, DeepSeek may combine your data with information from other sources. This includes details from advertising and analytics partners, which can encompass your activities on other websites and apps. The privacy policy notes that “advertisers, measurement, and other partners share information with us about you and the actions you have taken outside of the Service, such as your activities on other websites and apps or in stores, including the products or services you purchased, online or in person.”

Behavior tracking beyond DeepSeek

DeepSeek doesn’t just monitor your activity within its own platform. It also tracks how you interact with other services and websites. This means your actions outside of DeepSeek can be collected and analyzed to build a more comprehensive profile of your behavior. The privacy policy mentions that partners share information such as “mobile identifiers for advertising, hashed email addresses and phone numbers, and cookie identifiers, which we use to help match you and your actions outside of the Service.” 

Why does this matter for your privacy?

It’s one thing to know that DeepSeek collects data, but the bigger question is: why does that matter? At its core, DeepSeek is building a digital profile of you. Every keystroke, every tracked interaction, and every piece of data it pulls from third-party sources adds to an ever-growing picture of who you are. That’s what makes its privacy risks bigger than ChatGPT’s.

Read more: Why the Internet of Behaviors could be the next big threat to your privacy

How DeepSeek’s data collection goes beyond ChatGPT

ChatGPT has been under fire for collecting user data, but its tracking is still mostly confined to interactions within the app. OpenAI logs conversations, tracks general usage patterns, and stores chat data—but it doesn’t actively monitor your behavior beyond the chatbot in the same way that DeepSeek does.

DeepSeek, on the other hand, cross-references your data with third-party sources. That means:

• It tracks what you do beyond the chatbot itself—potentially logging your activity across multiple platforms.
• It combines user data with mobile identifiers, cookie tracking, and advertising sources to build a comprehensive behavioral profile.
• It collects keystroke data in real-time—so even if you delete a message before sending it, DeepSeek already has it.

Hendry Parsons calls this a major red flag: “Most AI platforms collect some level of user data, but DeepSeek goes a step further. This creates an interconnected data stream that follows you well beyond the app itself. Once that data is stored, users have no real control over where it goes or how it’s used.”

The danger of AI-driven profiling

The more data DeepSeek gathers, the more valuable and potentially dangerous that data becomes. It can be used for:

• Hyper-targeted advertising: Companies can use DeepSeek’s behavioral tracking to predict what you’ll buy before you even search for it.
• Political or social profiling: AI tools that track user sentiment can identify personal biases, which could then be exploited for manipulation.
• Data sharing concerns: With DeepSeek’s data stored on servers in China, privacy advocates have raised concerns about who else could access it.

Hendry Parsons warns that the implications of DeepSeek’s data tracking extend far beyond targeted ads: “DeepSeek’s ability to build detailed user profiles is about understanding behavior in ways users may not expect. This level of tracking and analysis raises important questions about how that data could be used and whether users truly have control over their information.”

AI-driven misinformation

DeepSeek is learning from the data it collects. That’s where the risk of misinformation comes in.

We’ve already seen cases where AI models have:

• Invented false legal cases (ChatGPT falsely generated fake legal precedents for lawyers).
• Promoted dangerous health misinformation (AI chatbots have recommended toxic “health” solutions).
• Amplified biases and political manipulation (AI models can reflect biases in the data they’re trained on).

But DeepSeek’s ability to track and analyze user behavior across multiple platforms raises a bigger question: Could it influence what people see and believe?

Hendy Parsons explains: “We all remember the infamous non-toxic glue pizza recommendations in a popular search engine’s AI results. People should be mindful that both AI errors and misinformation campaigns are nothing new—they’re simply getting more complex. You should always verify any information you see online before accepting it as fact or sharing it onwards.”

The bigger picture: Is DeepSeek safe?

DeepSeek’s privacy concerns also raises questions about cybersecurity risks. With its ability to process large datasets in real-time, DeepSeek has drawn the attention of security researchers who warn that AI-driven automation could be leveraged in ways that increase cybersecurity threats.

How DeepSeek’s AI capabilities intersect with cybersecurity

DeepSeek is designed to analyze patterns, predict behaviors, and generate human-like responses, making it an impressive AI tool. But these same capabilities could, in theory, be applied to cyberattacks, phishing scams, and misinformation campaigns.

Potential risks include:

• Automated vulnerability detection: AI models like DeepSeek can quickly scan large datasets, which could help security researchers find weaknesses—but also make it easier for bad actors to identify exploits faster.
• More sophisticated phishing and scams: AI-generated phishing emails are already convincing, but DeepSeek’s ability to analyze user behavior could take social engineering tactics to the next level.
• The spread of AI-generated misinformation: While misinformation is nothing new, AI-powered tools could create and spread misleading content at scale, making it harder for users to distinguish between fact and fiction.

For most people, the biggest risk isn’t DeepSeek itself, but how AI-driven automation is shaping online security. The more AI tools improve at analyzing human behavior, the more important it becomes to be cautious about what we share online and how we interact with AI-powered platforms.

How to protect your data when using AI tools like DeepSeek

It’s clear that AI platforms like DeepSeek and ChatGPT bring powerful innovation—but not without risks to your privacy. While it might feel overwhelming to navigate these concerns, there are practical steps you can take to safeguard your information and stay in control.

“We can take steps to prevent such powerful AI platforms from obtaining our data in the first place. While it might not be practical or desirable to avoid AI entirely, we should all be mindful of the implications of sharing information with any AI and engage with it deliberately.” – Lauren Hendry Parsons, Privacy Advocate at ExpressVPN

1. Think before you type

Every interaction you have with DeepSeek is logged, from the questions you ask to how you phrase them. Treat your interactions as though they’re being monitored (because they are) and avoid sharing anything personal or sensitive. Whether it’s work-related information, passwords, or personal anecdotes, assume that anything you type could be stored indefinitely.

2. Use a VPN to mask your digital footprint

A high-quality VPN (Virtual Private Network) like ExpressVPN encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP address, preventing platforms like DeepSeek from pinpointing your exact location. While a VPN won’t stop the chatbot from logging your inputs, it adds extra anonymity by making it harder to associate your activity with your identity.

Hendry Parsons also notes, however, that VPNs alone aren’t enough to address all privacy risks: “VPNs are an essential part of protecting your privacy, but they cannot stop keystroke tracking or data analysis happening within the app itself. For full protection, it’s important to combine VPN use with other privacy-first habits.”

3. Opt out of data collection wherever possible

DeepSeek may not offer the most robust privacy controls, but it’s worth exploring the platform’s settings to see what’s available. Many AI tools provide options to disable data sharing or to exclude your inputs from being used to train the model. While opting out won’t eliminate all risks, it can help limit the scope of data collection.

4. Verify before you trust AI-generated responses

AI is only as accurate as the data it learns from—and as we’ve seen, AI chatbot’s advanced capabilities don’t make them immune to misinformation. Whether it’s a product recommendation or a health tip, always fact-check AI-generated responses before acting on them.

Misinformation isn’t just a risk to you; it’s also how bad actors can manipulate AI tools for phishing scams and disinformation campaigns. Staying cautious ensures you don’t fall victim to AI-driven errors or malicious content.

5. Advocate for better protections

Beyond individual actions, the bigger solution lies in demanding accountability from AI companies and regulators. Pushing for stronger privacy standards, clear consent mechanisms, and more transparency around data handling practices is essential to ensuring AI evolves responsibly.

As Hendry Parsons explains: “The safest course of action is not to use apps with problematic privacy practices. More broadly, we need to encourage civil society, big tech, and regulators to treat digital rights as human rights, ensuring that data handling is transparent and ethical.”

Final thoughts: Should you use DeepSeek?

DeepSeek’s rise is a testament to its advanced capabilities and accessibility. Its free, open-source nature has made it a favorite among users eager to explore the potential of AI tools. But as with any platform that collects and analyzes vast amounts of user data, it’s essential to proceed with caution.

DeepSeek’s privacy policy is clear about the scope of its data collection: keystrokes, IP addresses, and even behavior outside the platform are all tracked and analyzed. For users who value convenience and cutting-edge AI, this may seem like a fair trade-off. But for those who prioritize privacy, it’s worth carefully considering the implications of using a platform with such extensive tracking capabilities.

Ultimately, whether DeepSeek is right for you depends on your comfort level with its data practices and how you choose to engage with it. By taking proactive steps, you can minimize the risks while still exploring what tools like DeepSeek have to offer.

AI tools are changing how we work, learn, and interact online. As exciting as this progress is, it also highlights the importance of staying informed and mindful. The more you understand how your data is collected and used, the better equipped you’ll be to make decisions that align with your values and protect your privacy.