Florida CFO Bans DeepSeek From State’s Department of Financial Services

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis in April 2022. Courtesy of Jimmy Patronis

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, on Feb. 20, banned the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek at Florida’s Department of Financial Services because it “presents a major national security risk, as it is designed to capture massive amounts of user data—including highly personal information—that is vulnerable to the Chinese Communist Party.”

“Artificial intelligence is the new ‘Space Race,’ and as it grows in popularity, I will not allow sensitive Department information to be compromised through a Chinese AI app that can harm Floridians,” Patronis said in a statement. “President Trump said DeepSeek was a wake-up call, and he’s absolutely right.”

The move is Tallahassee’s latest effort to protect the Sunshine State and other state governments from a foreign adversary.

Effective on Feb. 19, the directive bans the use, downloading, and installation of DeepSeek’s app or website on any department-issued device and any other device that has access to the department’s networks.

“Department of Financial Services employees have access to various secure systems including the State Treasury, law enforcement records, and other information made confidential and exempt from public disclosure pursuant to Florida Statutes,” the directive said.

“Employees who access Department networks from their personal devices make their personal devices potential targets for persons and entities looking to penetrate the Department’s information technology systems.”

Violations of the directive could result in penalties that include dismissal, suspension, deduction in pay, or other actions at the agency head’s discretion.

Lawmakers in several other states have already flagged Deepseek as a security risk and taken steps to bar it from government devices.

“DeepSeek appears to be no more than a proxy for the CCP to undermine American AI dominance and steal the data of our citizens,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement on Feb. 14. Texas banned the use of AI systems and social media apps associated with the CCP on all government-issue devices on Jan. 31.

“Public safety is my top priority, and we’re working aggressively to protect New Yorkers from foreign and domestic threats,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Feb. 10, announcing a ban of DeepSeek on the state’s devices and networks. “New York will continue fighting to combat cyber threats, ensure the privacy and safety of our data, and safeguard against state-sponsored censorship.”

Patronis’s directive recognizes that the Chinese technology not only collects immense amounts of personal data, including chat history, login information, device model, and keystroke patterns but is owned by a company controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and has experienced data breaches.

A recent examination of the app by The Epoch Times found that it closely hews to the ideology of the CCP, promoting views the regime favors and censoring responses critical of it.

When asked if this directive was a proactive measure or a reaction to discoveries of department employees utilizing the system, Patronis told The Epoch Times it was proactive in light of the state’s financial department’s desire to leverage AI tools.

“AI can be a huge resource for good, but it can also be a weapon if it’s in the wrong hands,” he said in the statement. ”Americans must be protected, and American companies must out-compete China.”