Tag: Ban

Taiwan – Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) has banned the use of DeepSeek’s newly launched AI service from China in the public sector, citing concerns over data privacy and security risks.

According to a report by the Taipei Times, MODA has advised government agencies and critical infrastructure to avoid using DeepSeek, stating that it “endangers national information security.”

MODA’s ban covers employees of government agencies, public schools, state-owned enterprises, semi-official organisations, critical infrastructure projects, and government-endowed foundations. However, it did not provide details on enforcement. 

The ministry also referenced the ‘Principles on Restricting the Use of Products That Endanger National Cyber Security,’ a 2019 Executive Yuan regulation that bans government agencies from using IT and communication technology products or services deemed a national security risk.

“DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product. Its operation involves cross-border transmission and information leakage and other information security concerns,” the Taipei Times reported, quoting the ministry.

Taiwan’s ban on DeepSeek comes amid growing global concerns about how the service collects and handles personal data.

South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission plans to send a written request to DeepSeek seeking clarification on how user data is managed, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, authorities in France, Italy, Ireland, and other countries are also investigating DeepSeek’s handling of personal data.

DeepSeek has recently gained attention in the AI industry, with its free AI assistant model surpassing U.S. rival ChatGPT in app store downloads. The company’s claim that it matches the capabilities of leading U.S. AI models for a fraction of the investment have also stirred interest among global investors.

United States – Following its implementation of a temporary ban on parties across registered listings globally in August 2020, vacation rental company Airbnb has permanently codified its party ban globally.

According to the company in its official blog, the temporary ban implementation had proved to be effective, as they have seen a 44% year-over-year drop in the rate of party reports. They have also reported that in 2021, over 6,600 guests were suspended from Airbnb for attempting to violate their party ban.

“We know that the overwhelming majority of our Hosts share their homes responsibly, just as the overwhelming majority of guests are responsible and treat their listings and neighbourhoods as if they were their own. In turn, we focus on trying to deter the very rare cases of Hosts who do not operate responsibly, or guests who try to throw unauthorised parties,” Airbnb explained.

The party ban also includes disruptive parties and events that will continue to be prohibited, including open-invite gatherings. So-called ‘party house’ properties will continue to be strictly prohibited as well.

During its temporary ban, Airbnb introduced a 16-person occupancy cap — which was prompted primarily by COVID-19 concerns around large gatherings prior to the introduction of vaccines. As part of the updated policy, and based on feedback from a number of hosts who have listings that can house above 16 people comfortably, they will remove this cap.

“Finally, strong policies must be complemented by strong enforcement. We’ve introduced a number of anti-party measures in recent years to enforce our policy and try, to the best of our ability, to stop both unauthorised parties and chronic party houses,” Airbnb added.