Sault Ste. Marie city council will review a proposal during its upcoming meeting to investigate the blocking of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, from city devices and networks. The proposal calls for city staff to develop a strategy for restricting the service and present their findings to the council for approval.
Councilor Stephan Kinach, who previously succeeded in prohibiting the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from city devices, is spearheading the motion. Citing security concerns raised in various articles and the fact that Shared Services Canada has already banned DeepSeek from federal government networks, Kinach emphasized the importance of prioritizing cybersecurity across all government levels.
Kinach highlighted recent cybersecurity incidents, such as the compromise at the Rainbow District School Board in northern Ontario, underscoring the need for robust policies to safeguard sensitive information. He pointed out that implementing strong cybersecurity measures could not only help the city maintain its insurance coverage but also potentially reduce premiums.
Expressing apprehension about DeepSeek’s connections to the Communist Party-led Chinese government, Kinach reiterated concerns mentioned in security reports about potential unauthorized access to personal data like names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, text or audio inputs, prompts, uploaded files, and chat histories. Following in the footsteps of Australia and South Korea, which have already prohibited the service on government networks, Kinach stressed the importance of proactive policy implementation to prevent data breaches or compromises.
Councilor Marchy Bruni seconded Kinach’s motion, echoing worries about unauthorized access to sensitive personal information. The move to address these security risks aligns with the council’s commitment to safeguarding residents’ data and preventing potential cybersecurity threats in the future.
