Imagine that every search you make is on a page, and together, they make a book about your search list. 

Whether you know it or not, “ YOUR SEARCH BAR KNOWS BETTER ABOUT YOU.” That’s why AI-powered search engines like DeepSeek are not just tools but also books that store and analyse your digital footprint. 

DeepSeek, a Chinese chatbot, is emerging as a crowning jewel due to the popularity of its mobile app. When I initially explored DeepSeek, I was impressed by its advanced AI-powered search and data processing capabilities. The tremendous strength of its deep learning algorithms captivated me—until I considered the privacy concerns. 

Each query I submitted and every piece of data it handled left a digital footprint. However, with AI-driven search engines like DeepSeek, that trace doesn’t simply disappear; it remains analyzed, stored, and potentially even shared.

Now, the real concern is: Who else is reading that book?

Unlike traditional AIs, DeepSeek uses advanced AI algorithms from China, a country known for its strict government oversight of data. Under the Cybersecurity Law and the National Intelligence Law, the government can demand access to user data.

This raises a chilling question on our data privacy.

Adding to the concern, DeepSeek is backed, owned, and funded by the Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer and operates within a regulatory environment that allows for government control and potential access to user data. 

DeepSeek’s connection to China’s regulatory framework raises serious privacy questions:

• Is your search data genuinely anonymous?

• Could your digital footprint be used for tracking or profiling?

• How much control do you have over what DeepSeek knows about you?

Let me take you outside the box and explain the privacy risks of using DeepSeek in 2025:

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Rising Challenges of Using DeepSeek in 2025

As DeepSeek continues to deliver the potential threats from government suspensions to cybersecurity issues, recognizing these hazards is vital for everyone who depends on this AI. 

1. Biased Search Results

DeepSeek's AI may prioritize or suppress particular types of content, potentially skewing search results to reflect government-approved viewpoints. This could indicate:

• Limited access to varied ideas: Users may only receive information that supports a specific goal, while alternative perspectives are hidden.
• Impact on worldwide users: Users outside China may receive censored results, impacting public opinion and decision-making.
• Content filtering: Search results may favor state-sponsored content while burying or limiting access to independent sources.
• Ranking manipulation: Algorithms, pay-to-rank, and censorship manipulate ranking, affecting the user's results. 

2. Global Threat 

As the cyber threats continue to evolve in 2025, DeepSeek’s vast data structure could target various malicious activities, causing another concern of global threats like: 

• State-sponsored cyberattacks: Rival governments may attempt to breach the system to get sensitive user data or disrupt operations for geopolitical purposes.
• Information leaks and theft: Without proper cybersecurity precautions, DeepSeek users risk having their personal and professional information exposed, which may lead to identity theft or business espionage.
• AI exploitation: Hackers could use AI reactions to spread misinformation, supply misleading content, or create security flaws that threaten individuals and businesses.

3. Government Surveillance and Censorship

DeepSeek operates in a country where digital platforms are strictly regulated by the government, as opposed to search engines that operate in democratically controlled marketplaces.

This means:

• Risks involved: Personal data can be used for behavioral tracking.
• Content screening and censorship: Certain information may be prohibited or altered. In some cases, censored content might be visisble
• High- Transparency: The data is not between the algorithm and the users. Users may be unaware of how their data is used.

4. Dependency Risks 

Because people depend on AI-driven solutions, several hazards arise, including:

• Diminished Critical Thinking: Easier response creation makes instant AI responses possible, which may impair users' capacity for independent information analysis.
• Filter Bubbles: Personalized search results limit exposure to different points of view by reinforcing prejudices.
• Lack of Accountability: It is unclear who is responsible when AI produces inaccurate or deceptive data.
• Algorithmic Bias: AI-generated information may have errors, be outdated, or be influenced.
• Security Vulnerabilities: Users relying heavily on AI are more vulnerable to cyber threats, deepfake frauds, and false information.

How to Mitigate AI-Driven Security At Work?

DeepSeek AI's primary privacy risks and security flaws stem from vulnerabilities that expose it to cyberattacks, mainly due to unpatched security weaknesses.

Since DeepSeek is widely used by businesses and working professionals, the security flaws, dubious data practices, and connections to Chinese state-affiliated entities pose serious risks to users and companies. Organizations must offer complete cybersecurity solutions to reduce risks such as AI-driven security threats to businesses. 

The security solutions should include: 

• Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments: This testing shall determine whether DeepSeek AI or comparable apps pose security threats to your company.
• Risk Identification: Adhering to the policies and industry standards is essential to eliminate risk in your work environment. Improve the security posture of your workplace devices and conduct comprehensive risk assessments.
• Compliance: To protect sensitive data, data security professionals must assist firms with standard implementation and regulatory compliance.
• Awareness Training: Workers are frequently the first line of defense; thus, security awareness training is essential. Offer training to assist businesses in identifying and avoiding AI-related risks, such as social engineering and phishing scams.

Due to heightened regulatory scrutiny and increased concerns from cybersecurity experts, the risks associated with DeepSeek are more significant than the advantages. Organizations should secure their data immediately and seek expert advice for specialized security solutions to lessen the risks associated with AI.

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Comparison with Other AI Search Engines

DeepSeek, one of the recent AI search engines, stands out for several significant reasons. Although most AIs are trained in deep learning algorithms and multi-model languages, each has a different data-handling capacity. Let us analyze the differences between Google AI, ChatGPT, and other search engines. 

The user's control over data is one important distinction. AI search engines, such as Google AI and Perplexity AI, allow consumers to control, remove, or restrict the data collected. For example, OpenAI's ChatGPT Search has choices to eliminate conversation history, and Google lets users stop tailored adverts and clear their search history. But DeepSeek doesn't offer exact privacy options, so it's unclear how much control users have over their data after it's been analyzed.

Additional distinctions between DeepSeek and other search engines include content accessibility and search neutrality. DeepSeek's search results might be impacted by regional laws, which could restrict access to particular points of view or censor specific content, in contrast to the majority of international AI search engines, which seek to present a variety of viewpoints from independent sources.

However, state-controlled limitations that filter or restrict access to specific content based on predetermined criteria may impact DeepSeek's search results. On the other hand, most Western AI search engines aim to present users with various perspectives and preserve a balance of opinions, even though they have their own moderation procedures.

Real-World Examples of AI Search Engine Differences

To analyse the differences between Deepseek and other search engines, let's look at a few real-world scenarios

1. Information Censorship in News Searches

Imagine two journalists—one in the U.S. using Google AI Search and another in China using DeepSeek—both searching for updates on a political protest in Hong Kong. The journalist using Google AI Search receives articles from independent media outlets, eyewitness accounts, and official reports. Meanwhile, DeepSeek journalists might only see state-approved news, with limited or no access to independent sources. This illustrates how different AI search engines filter information based on regional regulations.

2. Cybersecurity Risks in Corporate Use

A multinational company is evaluating AI search engines for internal research. If they use DeepSeek for competitive analysis, there’s a risk that sensitive search queries could be stored or accessed under China’s regulatory framework. Companies using OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search or Google AI  can take more precise and accurate protection measures to eliminate information exposure for unauthorized firms.

3. Privacy Control in User Data

When conducting medical research on rare diseases, a researcher wants to ensure their search queries stay private. Sometimes, patients might feel uncomfortable sharing their health concerns with strangers. While they can modify privacy settings, remove search history, or browse in incognito mode using Perplexity AI or Google AI, DeepSeek lacks a straightforward method for managing or erasing search history, which raises questions about how long personal data is stored and who can access it.

4. Bias in Product Reviews and Recommendations

Using ChatGPT Search, a European customer looks for evaluations of a recently released smartphone and finds both favorable and unfavorable comments from people worldwide. Because of content moderation regulations, a Chinese buyer utilizing DeepSeek can discover that unfavorable reviews of particular goods are buried or censored. This skewed picture of the products may impact purchase decisions.

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Final Thoughts

DeepSeek and other AI search engines have different security threats. Although cybersecurity dangers are associated with all search engines, DeepSeek's regulatory framework raises questions about data access or monitoring beyond standard cybersecurity issues. Businesses and customers who utilize AI search should consider the tool's effectiveness and the underlying consequences of data handling and security.