Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Jan 29: DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by a Hangzhou-based startup in China, has become a focal point of international debate over issues of censorship, data security, and pro Chinese government narratives.
As of January 2025, the AI model has amassed a global user base of approximately 5-6 million. Since its initial release on November 2, 2023, DeepSeek has undergone multiple iterations, with its most recent version launched on January 20, 2025. However, its alignment with Chinese government regulations and its role in shaping politically sensitive discourse have prompted scrutiny.
Lobsang Gyatso Sither, Director of Technology at the Tibet Action Institute, has voiced strong concerns regarding DeepSeek’s role in disseminating state-sponsored propaganda. “We must be particularly vigilant about the deployment of this technology and the extent of governmental influence over it. The Chinese government exercises significant control over AI-driven information systems, whether through social media or digital news outlets. When widely adopted, such systems have the potential to reinforce official state narratives, which is especially troubling when considering topics like Tibet, Taiwan, East Turkestan, and Hong Kong. The ability of AI to shape public perception in alignment with the Chinese government’s ideological framework presents both an ethical and security challenge,” Sither explained while speaking with Tibetan media, Radio Free Asia.
Geshe Lobsang Monlam, founder and CEO of the Monlam Tibetan IT Research Centre, emphasised the dangers of an AI system that strictly adheres to Chinese government-sanctioned historical perspectives. “DeepSeek operates within the ideological boundaries set by the Chinese state, influencing how history and global events are perceived. For the average user, this means a heightened risk of consuming information that lacks objectivity. The purpose of launching such a platform is not purely economic but serves broader strategic objectives,” he stated.
International officials have also responded to the growing influence of DeepSeek. Peter Kyle, the UK technology secretary, has urged caution, highlighting the model’s inherent censorship mechanisms. “At this stage, individuals must make informed choices regarding their use of this technology because its full implications are not yet clear. What we do know is that this is a Chinese-developed model with built-in censorship. It does not operate with the same level of informational freedom as other AI platforms,” Kyle remarked on The News Agents podcast.
China has imposed regulations on AI-generated content to ensure alignment with state ideology. On August 15, 2023, the government introduced legal measures requiring AI developers to undergo security assessments and obtain regulatory approval before launching products. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the primary internet regulator and censor of the People’s Republic of China, stated in July 2023 that “content generated by generative AI for the public must conform to China’s core socialist values.”
The censorship mechanisms within DeepSeek are particularly evident in its handling of politically sensitive topics. A search query on Tibet’s historical status, for instance, yields the response: “Tibet has been an integral part of China since ancient times.” This aligns directly with Chinese state propaganda and suppresses alternative historical perspectives and discourse on Tibet’s sovereignty.
Similar concerns have been raised regarding TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin, a short-form video-hosting service owned by the Chinese technology company ByteDance, which has faced scrutiny over its content moderation practices and has been banned in 20 countries including India, Belgium and Canada etc, some nationwide and others specifically on government-issued devices.
A December 2023 study by Rutgers University’s Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) found a “strong possibility that content on TikTok is either amplified or suppressed based on its alignment with the interests of the Chinese government.” Additionally, China’s government has a stake in ByteDance through a golden share (a special government-held stake that allows influence over business decisions).