Texas Governor Orders Ban on DeepSeek, RedNote for Government Devices

Summary: Texas Governor Greg Abbott has banned the Chinese AI company DeepSeek and popular Chinese-owned social media apps Xiaohongshu and Lemon8 on government-issued devices, citing concerns over data security and foreign influence. This makes Texas the first state to impose such restrictions on these platforms, particularly as DeepSeek gains traction in the AI sector. Abbott’s actions are part of a broader trend of state and federal governments seeking to protect critical infrastructure from perceived threats.

Affected: Texas state government devices

Keypoints :

• DeepSeek is the first AI platform banned by a U.S. state on government devices.
• Governor Abbott stated that the ban aims to prevent Chinese Communist Party infiltration.
• The action follows rising popularity of DeepSeek and alternative social media apps among American users.
• Other states and the federal government have already banned TikTok on government-issued devices.