Germany has asked Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek

German authorities have declared Chinese chatbot DeepSeek a security threat, and a local regulator is demanding it be removed from the App Store and Google Play.

German Data Protection Commissioner Meike Kamp asked Apple and Google to remove the app after DeepSeek failed to comply with security standards.

In May 2025, Kamp asked DeepSeek to comply with those requirements or voluntarily withdraw the app, but the company did not respond in any way.

“DeepSeek was unable to provide my agency with convincing evidence that German users’ data is protected in China at a level equivalent to that in the European Union. Chinese authorities have far-reaching rights of access to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies,”

Kamp said

Previously, Italy had already removed the chatbot from the App Store and the Netherlands banned it on government devices. The US is seeking to ban executive agencies from using any Chinese AI service.

So far, neither Apple nor Google has commented on the German regulator’s request. But the fact that both companies complied with Italy’s request to remove the app means that they will comply with Kamp’s request as well.