Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues?

DeepSeek is one of the most powerful AI models out there. However, it comes with a lot of hassles and a very strict moderation of responses. So why are people still using this chatbot?

DeepSeek is one of the most powerful AI models out there. However, it comes with a lot of hassles and a very strict response moderation. So why are people still using this chatbot?

1. Unlimited queries

Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 1Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 1

One of the first things that draws people to DeepSeek is the lack of annoying query limits. If you've ever used an AI chatbot with a daily limit, you know how frustrating this can be — you're in the middle of refining an idea, debugging code, or working on a complex prompt, and suddenly, you get a message saying 'You're out of free queries until 1:00 PM.'

 

This is something users never have to worry about when using DeepSeek. Unlike other AI tools, DeepSeek does not impose query limits on users. For someone who relies on AI for brainstorming and extensive research, this is a lifesaver. It allows for iteration, refinement, and experimentation without having to pay after every few conversations.

AI responses often need to be tweaked back and forth to get the right results. Not having to worry about exceeding query limits makes DeepSeek a powerful alternative to other AI chatbots.

2. Free access to the mainstream model (at least for now)

Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 2Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 2

Another reason people keep DeepSeek in their AI toolkit is simple: It's completely free to use. While some AI tools lock their most advanced features behind paywalls (e.g. ChatGPT o1), DeepSeek offers its core model for free.

 

If you use DeepSeek-R1 for a number of tasks, you will find that it is consistently impressive. What people like most about R1 is that it allows you to see the thought process behind any response it gives.

Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 3Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 3

Of course, this free access may not last forever. As DeepSeek grows, it may introduce premium plans or start charging for its top model. But for now, it's a great resource, and everyone should take full advantage of it.

3. Open source accessibility

Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 4Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 4

 

Most popular AI models, like OpenAI's o1 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, are locked behind proprietary systems. You can't see their inner workings, tweak them, or run them on your hardware. But DeepSeek isn't like that.

DeepSeek has released part of its codebase and model architecture to the public. This means that developers can modify, improve, or even integrate it into their own projects.

There is, of course, one caveat. While open source access is great in theory, DeepSeek comes from a country known for its strict internet regulations. Even if you self-host it, you're still relying on a model trained according to the country's censorship policies. And while DeepSeek is open source, it's a relatively new model compared to Meta's Llama models, meaning it hasn't undergone the same level of scrutiny.

4. Never share sensitive information with AI tools!

No AI tool is truly private. Whether it's DeepSeek, ChatGPT, or any other model. That's why many people never trust AI to make decisions for them or share sensitive information with AI chatbots.

DeepSeek's privacy situation is even more ambiguous than most. It operates under regulations that require companies to comply with government data policies. While there's no clear evidence that DeepSeek is logging or reporting user data, no one wants to take the risk.

Think of DeepSeek as a brainstorming tool, not a journal. You can experiment with prompts, experiment with creative writing, and use it for research purposes—just don't give it your passwords, personal information, or confidential work-related information.

5. Get used to taking AI feedback for granted!

DeepSeek's origins are not reassuring — it's a Chinese-developed model with some quirks. If you ask it about some politically sensitive topics, it will dodge the question or refuse to answer it altogether.

Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 5Why are people still using DeepSeek despite privacy and censorship issues? Picture 5

But that's no surprise. Every AI model has its own set of weird limitations. ChatGPT sometimes rejects harmless questions in the name of 'safety,' Claude can be overly cautious to the point of being unusable, and even the supposedly open models from Meta have built-in limitations. No AI tool is truly neutral—they all reflect the rules and biases of the people who built them.

Finally, approach AI tools with caution: Fact-check, compare outputs, and don't expect any model to be a perfect source of truth. DeepSeek's censorship is just another quirk to work around, not a huge problem.

DeepSeek isn't perfect. Its moderation issues are notable, and its provenance raises legitimate concerns. However, for many use cases, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The lack of query limits, free access to a leading model, and open source availability make DeepSeek a powerful tool.

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