State Attorneys Demand Action Against AI App Amid Security Fears

21 state attorneys general have issued a dire warning to Congress: Chinese-owned DeepSeek AI app is a national security nightmare capable of sending your data straight to Beijing.

At a Glance

New York, Texas, and Virginia have already banned Chinese-owned DeepSeek AI on state devices and networks
DeepSeek can collect user data including chat history, keystrokes, and IP addresses, potentially transmitting this to the Chinese Communist Party
21 state attorneys general are urging Congress to ban the app on all government devices
Several countries including Canada, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Italy have already blocked DeepSeek
Congressional legislation has been introduced to outlaw the app at the federal level

Another Chinese Trojan Horse?

While Americans continue battling the economic fallout from reckless government spending and monetary policy, a new national security threat is quietly making its way onto our devices. DeepSeek, an AI-powered search and data analysis platform owned by High-Flyer, a Chinese quant hedge fund based in Hangzhou, is raising serious red flags among state officials. The app, which functions similarly to ChatGPT, has the potential to harvest massive amounts of sensitive data from American users – including government employees handling classified information.

Texas led the charge against this potential digital espionage tool, implementing the first ban on January 31, 2025. The ban wasn’t limited to just DeepSeek – it also included other Chinese-affiliated apps like RedNote, Webull, Tiger Brokers, Moomoo, and Lemon8. This pattern follows the playbook we’ve seen with TikTok and other Chinese-owned applications that collect vast amounts of user data with questionable security protocols and clear obligations to the Chinese Communist Party.

States Taking Action

The urgency of this threat is evident in how quickly states are moving to protect their digital infrastructure. Following Texas’s lead, New York banned DeepSeek on February 10, 2025, and Virginia followed suit just one day later on February 11. The rapid succession of these executive actions reflects the serious nature of the security concerns. Let’s be clear: when states move this quickly and decisively on a tech issue, they’re not acting on speculation – they’ve identified a legitimate threat to American security interests.

“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps. To achieve that mission, I ordered Texas state agencies to ban Chinese government-based AI and social media apps from all state-issued devices. State agencies and employees responsible for handling critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information must be protected from malicious espionage operations by the Chinese Communist Party. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors.” – Texas Governor

The New York Governor’s office didn’t mince words either, specifically calling out DeepSeek’s connections to “foreign government surveillance and censorship” and its potential to “harvest user data and steal technology secrets.” Virginia’s governor described DeepSeek as posing a direct threat to citizens’ security and safety. These aren’t vague concerns – they’re specific warnings about a tool that could compromise America’s national security from within our own government networks.

National Push for Protection

The concerns have now escalated to the federal level, with 21 state attorneys general signing a letter urging Congress to take immediate action. Their assessment is blunt and sobering: “China is a clear and present danger” and “DeepSeek appears to be another tool for Chinese spies to attack America’s national security.” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen didn’t hold back, calling the app “China’s latest Trojan horse” and demanding congressional action to shut it down on government devices.

“DeepSeek appears to be another tool for Chinese spies to attack America’s national security”

Meanwhile, a bipartisan congressional effort is underway, with House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green introducing legislation to ban the app. Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood have sent letters to 47 governors and the mayor of Washington, D.C., encouraging state-level bans. They’ve co-sponsored a bill to ban DeepSeek on federal government devices, with a companion bill introduced in the Senate. The congressional administration office has already advised staffers against downloading the app on government-issued devices.

China’s Digital Data-Harvesting Machine

What makes DeepSeek particularly concerning is its technical capabilities. The Associated Press reported that DeepSeek has code that could transfer user login information to China Mobile, a state-owned company already barred from operating in the U.S. due to security concerns. Additionally, DeepSeek stores user data on servers in China, where Chinese national security laws would compel the company to share that data with the government if requested. This effectively means any sensitive information processed through DeepSeek could end up in the hands of Chinese intelligence services.

The Chinese government, predictably, denies these allegations. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun claims China “attaches great importance to and legally protects data privacy and security.” But their track record of intellectual property theft, cyber espionage, and mandatory cooperation between Chinese companies and their intelligence services tells a different story. It’s worth noting that DeepSeek’s AI model is being offered at prices significantly lower than competitors like Meta and OpenAI – a classic move to gain market share rapidly before security concerns catch up.

For Americans already struggling with the consequences of government overreach and economic mismanagement, the last thing we need is foreign espionage undermining our critical infrastructure. The swift, bipartisan action against DeepSeek represents a rare moment of clarity in American governance – recognition that some threats transcend political differences and require immediate, decisive action to protect our national interests.