Microsoft Cites Data and Propaganda Risks in Banning DeepSeek App for Employees

Microsoft has officially banned its employees from using the DeepSeek app, citing serious concerns over data security and potential propaganda. Speaking at a Senate hearing, Brad Smith, the company’s vice chairman and president, revealed that DeepSeek is not only excluded from Microsoft’s app store but also prohibited internally. Smith emphasized that Microsoft’s concerns stem from DeepSeek storing user data on Chinese servers, which are subject to Chinese intelligence laws. Additionally, the app is reported to censor topics deemed sensitive by the Chinese government, further amplifying Microsoft’s apprehension about its influence.

Despite this internal ban, Microsoft previously made DeepSeek’s R1 model available on its Azure cloud platform, arguing that hosting the model—separate from the app—allowed for greater control and safety checks. According to Microsoft, their version underwent extensive safety reviews and was modified to eliminate “harmful side effects.” The company did not disclose the technical specifics of these alterations.

While DeepSeek is open source and can be hosted independently, Microsoft maintains that even decentralized use of the model doesn’t fully mitigate the risk of spreading propaganda or producing unsafe outputs. Notably, Smith’s statements mark the first public acknowledgment by Microsoft of its internal policy on DeepSeek, though restrictions by other entities were already in place.