Application-Level Censorship
After DeepSeek exploded in popularity in the US, users who accessed R1 through DeepSeek’s website, app, or API quickly noticed the model refusing to generate answers for topics deemed sensitive by the Chinese government. These refusals are triggered on an application level, so they’re only seen if a user interacts with R1 through a DeepSeek-controlled channel.
The DeepSeek app on iOS outright refuses to answer certain questions.
The DeepSeek app on iOS outright refuses to answer certain questions.
Photograph: Zeyi Yang
Technical Censorship
To figure out how this censorship works on a technical level, WIRED tested DeepSeek-R1 on its own app, a version of the app hosted on a third-party platform called Together AI, and another version hosted on a WIRED computer, using the application Ollama.
WIRED found that while the most straightforward censorship can be easily avoided by not using DeepSeek’s app, there are other types of bias baked into the model during the training process. Those biases can be removed too, but the procedure is much more complicated.
Removing Censorship
For many users in the West, interest in DeepSeek-R1 might have waned at this point, due to the model’s obvious limitations. But the fact that R1 is open source means there are ways to get around the censorship matrix.
First, you can download the model and run it locally, which means the data and the response generation happen on your own computer. Unless you have access to several highly advanced GPUs, you likely won’t be able to run the most powerful version of R1, but DeepSeek has smaller, distilled versions that can be run on a regular laptop.
Conclusion
DeepSeek-R1’s censorship mechanisms are a reflection of the complex and often controversial landscape of AI development in China. While the model’s open-source nature allows for some workarounds, the fact remains that Chinese AI companies are subject to strict regulations and censorship requirements.
As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s essential to consider the ethical implications of these developments and the potential consequences for global communication and information sharing.
FAQs
Q: What is DeepSeek-R1?
A: DeepSeek-R1 is an open-source AI model developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek.
Q: Why does DeepSeek-R1 censor certain topics?
A: DeepSeek-R1 is subject to Chinese regulations that require AI models to comply with strict information controls and censorship requirements.
Q: Can I get around the censorship?
A: Yes, you can download the model and run it locally, or use a third-party platform to access the model.
Q: Is DeepSeek-R1 available for use in the West?
A: Yes, DeepSeek-R1 is available for use in the West, but its limitations and censorship mechanisms may be a concern for some users.
