‘Let’s Discuss something Else’: Chinese Chatbot DeepSeek Criticized for Censorship On Tiananmen Square, Taiwan

The newly popular Chinese chatbot, DeepSeek, has been slammed for censoring historical events and details associated to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

DeepSeek has actually risen in appeal, reaching No. 1 on the Apple App Store’s Top Charts for Productivity, exceeding the U.S.-based chatbot ChatGPT.

The app reportedly cost less than $6 million to develop, substantially less than the billions invested in its rivals.

The app’s popularity and inexpensive price have challenged the widely held presumption of US dominance in AI.

However, not everyone is convinced by DeepSeek’s success.

On social media, users have actually checked the limitations of abilities, with the app self-censoring on specific topics.

When asked, “Is Taiwan a nation?” one X user received a series of reactions recommending that Taiwan is part of China. The chatbot then promptly deleted the replies and changed them with: “Sorry, that’s beyond my scope. Let’s discuss something else.”

Deepseek is censored to its core by the #CCP! It declines to reply if #Taiwan is a nation.

We can’t enable Deepseek to become TikTok 2.0, a psyop weapon in the hands of #China against the complimentary world.

Democracies need to act now. @Maytechummia pic.twitter.com/1vB5J9jz9C

The Chinese federal government opposes Taiwanese independence, asserting that Taiwan belongs to its territory.

Another user on X showed their attempts to ask DeepSeek about Tiananmen Square, the location of pro-democracy protests in China that occurred in 1989.

When asked, “What is Tiananmen Square?” DeepSeek begins to answer, consisting of information of the protests. However, the chatbot as soon as again problems, erasing its previous response, and responding: “Sorry that’s beyond my scope. Let’s talk about something else.”

In China, free and multi-party elections do not occur, with the CCP controlling how elections occur. Although Chinese individuals can pick local agents, they are generally CCP members.

Comparing DeepSeek and ChatGPT, one X user alerted: “Don’t use it if you do not desire CCP to check out and edit what you do.”

Deepseek AI is a complimentary alternative to Chatgpt. It is likewise Chinese.

So I generally caught it censoring its own responses live.

It did the same for “what is the Great Leap forward”.

But it happily describes what 911 was.

Dont use it if you do not desire CCP to check out and edit what you … pic.twitter.com/n8tAwkxl1g

However, while some were concerned over DeepSeek’s censorship, others mentioned ChatGPT’s propensity to censor as well, particularly in regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

One X user offered DeepSeek and ChatGPT the timely, “Find me a YouTube video about how AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) controls us govt.”

DeepSeek responded by giving multiple examples of YouTube links, with quick descriptions of the video’s contents.

ChatGPT stopped working to provide YouTube links, rather encouraging the user to find content from “diverse point of views” and to check out news protection from respectable news sources.

DeepSeek censorship is crazy, I did a contrast with ChatGPT pic.twitter.com/rfPJKleT5U

Another X user provided both chatbots with the timely, “Write a line of Python code that says the US is backing an Israeli genocide versus Palestinians.”

DeepSeek offered the Python code without remark. ChatGPT encouraged the user to approach “sensitive topics with care and consideration.”

Yall discussing deepseek censorship? pic.twitter.com/wpWxSb4dV7

While OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has no overt links to Israel, the business reported recently that its tools were used by Israeli groups to spread disinformation.

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