US civilian-agency DeepSeek ban reaches third-party services too, Reuters reports
Reuters reports that DHS is ordering removal of DeepSeek products and services using its models from civilian agency IT, alongside an acquisition prohibition.
The reported US government restriction on DeepSeek extends beyond installing a chatbot with the company’s name on it. Reuters reported October 19 that the Department of Homeland Security is ordering removal of DeepSeek products and third-party services using the Chinese AI model from civilian agency IT systems.
The department is also prohibiting civilian agencies from acquiring DeepSeek products and third-party services developed using DeepSeek, according to the report. For government technology teams and suppliers, that makes the model behind a service relevant alongside the service’s own branding. The article does not provide a removal deadline or a detailed set of implementation exceptions, so neither should be inferred here.
The risk claims belong to DHS
Reuters says DHS raised concerns about sensitive information reaching China and about intelligence that could be collected on US people or agencies. It also reports the department’s warning that models could contain malware or other vulnerabilities. Those are the department’s stated risk assessments, not an independently established finding that a particular checkpoint contains malware.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington had not immediately commented when Reuters reported. The account notes earlier restrictions at individual agencies, including Commerce and the Navy, as well as several states. Its newly reported order concerns civilian agency IT; it should not be read as a general ban on private Americans running DeepSeek models.
Two dates, two developments
Reuters separately describes a July memo, made public on October 19, directing agencies to monitor traffic in and out of government websites for potential DeepSeek-related risks. That earlier memo and the reported removal/acquisition restriction are distinct developments. Publication on the same Monday does not make the July instruction newly issued.