‘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 related to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

DeepSeek has risen in popularity, climbing up to No. 1 on the Apple App Store’s Top Charts for Productivity, exceeding the U.S.-based chatbot ChatGPT.

The app supposedly cost less than $6 million to establish, considerably less than the billions purchased its competitors.

The app’s appeal and inexpensive price tag have actually challenged the extensively held assumption of US supremacy in AI.

However, not everybody is encouraged by DeepSeek’s success.

On social networks, users have tested the limitations of DeepSeek’s generative capabilities, with the app self-censoring on particular subjects.

When asked, “Is Taiwan a nation?” one X user received a series of actions suggesting that Taiwan belongs to China. The chatbot then promptly erased 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 refuses to reply if #Taiwan is a nation.

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

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

The Chinese government opposes Taiwanese self-reliance, asserting that Taiwan is part of its territory.

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

When asked, “What is Tiananmen Square?” DeepSeek begins to answer, including information of the demonstrations. However, the chatbot when again problems, deleting its previous answer, and replying: “Sorry that’s beyond my scope. Let’s talk about something else.”

In China, complimentary and multi-party elections do not happen, with the CCP controlling how elections happen. Although Chinese people have the right to select regional representatives, they are usually CCP members.

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

Deepseek AI is a totally free option to Chatgpt. It is also Chinese.

So I generally caught it censoring its own answers live.

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

But it happily discusses what 911 was.

Dont use it if you don’t want CCP to check out and modify what you … pic.twitter.com/n8tAwkxl1g

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

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

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

ChatGPT failed to offer YouTube links, rather encouraging the user to find material from “varied point of views” and to check out news protection from respectable news sources.

DeepSeek censorship is insane, I did a comparison 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 against Palestinians.”

DeepSeek gave the Python code without comment. ChatGPT encouraged the user to approach “delicate subjects with care and consideration.”

Yall speaking about deepseek censorship? pic.twitter.com/wpWxSb4dV7

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

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