Tech Desk 
Feb 03, 2025
Deepseek logo and the Chinese flag are seen in this illustration taken January 27, 2025. — Reuters
In a dramatic turn of events in the realm of technology, DeepSeek, the globally acclaimed artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, is among several apps banned for government-issued devices in Texas, USA.
The development came after Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the implementation of a device-specific ban on apps affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), PC Mag reported.
Previously imposed only on TikTok, the ban has now been expanded to six more apps after TikTok, including AI chatbot DeepSeek, social media apps Lemon8 and RedNote, and well-known stock-trading apps Moomoo, Tiger Brokers, and Webull.
It's worth noting that TikTok, owned by China-based firm ByteDance, has been banned on government devices in Texas and more than 30 other states since 2022.
“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps,” Gov. Abbott said.
The reason behind the clampdown on these popular apps is that they “pose a security risk to the state of Texas,” as stated in a proclamation sent to Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson.
The ban comes on the heels of DeepSeek's skyrocketing popularity which tumbled considerable stock chunks of the world's leading AI bellwethers and rose to unmatched popularity, becoming the top app across various app marketplaces in countless countries.
