UBC University Bans Chinese AI Company DeepSeek Over Privacy And Security Risks

The University of British Columbia (UBC) has officially banned all applications related to Chinese AI tool DeepSeek from its university-owned devices and networks, citing "a high degree of privacy and security risk." This decision comes after internal reviews of third-party assessments raised alarms about the app’s extensive data collection, unencrypted data transmission, and permissions that allow logging of user keystrokes.

According to UBC's Privacy Matters website, DeepSeek not only gathers personal user data but in some cases transmits it without encryption — making it a significant cybersecurity threat. The university's preventative measures now extend to any devices accessing UBC systems via login, including library computers, Wi-Fi networks, and VPNs.

UBC spokesperson Matthew Ramsey clarified that DeepSeek is currently the only AI tool under restriction. Other platforms, such as ChatGPT, remain unaffected. The university is also advising students and faculty to uninstall DeepSeek from personal devices used for academic or administrative purposes.

DeepSeek gained rapid popularity upon its release in January 2025, quickly becoming the most downloaded free app on Apple's App Store and drawing both global acclaim and scrutiny. Its emergence disrupted traditional expectations that only U.S. tech giants could develop such advanced AI systems.

However, national and institutional concerns have escalated since cybersecurity experts, including those at Feroot Security, revealed that DeepSeek's website contained code capable of transmitting login credentials to a Chinese state-owned telecom firm — one already banned in the United States.

AI expert Steve DiPaola of Simon Fraser University voiced broader concerns, noting that while data flowing to China is troubling, excessive reliance on U.S. tech firms also poses risks. He advocates for more open-source, Canadian-developed AI solutions that minimize foreign data dependency.

UBC reiterated that while DeepSeek's apps are considered high-risk, its underlying open-source model can still be used if sourced from trusted platforms.

As AI adoption accelerates, UBC’s decision marks a pivotal moment in how Canadian institutions navigate the trade-off between innovation and information security.

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Source: CTV

Photo Credit: AI