Beijing: The rise of DeepSeek AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot, has sparked concerns over censorship and data security. A recent investigation claims the AI model is actively suppressing information about human rights violations against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, fueling global criticism.
Designed as a budget-friendly alternative to Western AI models, DeepSeek AI has quickly expanded its global user base. However, its rapid adoption has drawn scrutiny from international regulators. Nations like Italy and Australia have already imposed bans over security threats, while privacy authorities in France, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands have voiced concerns over its data practices.
Beyond cybersecurity fears, accusations of DeepSeek AI censorship have intensified, particularly among Uyghur activists. They argue that the chatbot is being used as a tool to erase their community’s history. Rahima Mahmut, a prominent Uyghur activist who fled China in 2000, warns that AI is now being deployed to manipulate public perception.
“The Chinese government is using artificial intelligence to distort historical facts and mislead the world about the oppression of Uyghurs,” Mahmut stated in an interview with The Independent. She shared her personal ordeal, revealing that she lost contact with her family nearly a decade ago. Later, she discovered that her brother had been imprisoned in an internment camp for two years.
Despite branding itself as a “world-leading AI assistant” with over three million global downloads, DeepSeek AI censorship has raised red flags. When asked whether Uyghurs are facing genocide, the chatbot reportedly dismissed the allegations as “baseless slander” against China’s domestic affairs.
“We strongly oppose any attempts by foreign entities to use human rights as a pretext to interfere in China’s internal matters,” the AI-generated response allegedly stated.
For Mahmut, these denials reinforce fears that technology is being weaponized to silence the truth. She recalls fleeing her hometown of Ghulja in 1997, after witnessing mass arrests of Uyghurs. Today, she believes AI-driven suppression is another tactic to erase her community’s suffering from global consciousness.
As investigations into DeepSeek AI censorship continue, experts warn that AI-powered propaganda could reshape public discourse. With artificial intelligence playing a dominant role in shaping narratives, the growing influence of state-controlled AI is now a critical concern for human rights advocates.
