Texas has become the first U.S. state to ban the RedNote app, a TikTok alternative, and the AI chatbot application DeepSeek over concerns about the misuse of Americans' data by the Chinese Communist Party.
Governor Greg Abbott issued the decision just days after the ChatGPT alternative soared to the top of the Apple Store, and the apps have now been banned on government-issued devices.
In a statement, Abbott warned that Texas would not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate the state’s critical infrastructure using artificial intelligence for data collection or social media apps.
He explained that Chinese companies are required to share data with their government, raising significant security concerns.
Cybersecurity Concerns Surround DeepSeek
Cybersecurity experts have described DeepSeek as "highly vulnerable," according to Forbes. They warned that the app is 11 times more likely than OpenAI's systems to generate harmful content.
Despite this, the app has shaken the tech world by reaching the top of the Apple Store in the U.S., UK, and China.
Experts have raised alarms about the potential threats posed by DeepSeek, with strong warnings from the Taiwanese government as well.
DeepSeek successfully completed its initial launch phase using a program costing $6 million—significantly less than its Western competitors.
Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, wrote in an op-ed for *The Washington Post*:
“It’s clear that the pressure is mounting on major U.S. tech companies if a company like DeepSeek can compete with significantly fewer resources.”
TikTok's Blackout and RedNote's Rise
Meanwhile, the popularity of RedNote surged after TikTok experienced a temporary blackout in the United States.
On the evening of January 18, TikTok disappeared following the Supreme Court's support of a law introduced by Congress. The legislation gave app managers an ultimatum: sell the platform to an American buyer or face penalties.
The app was disrupted across the U.S., with services being gradually restored during Donald Trump’s inauguration.
TikTok users, numbering approximately 170 million across the U.S., were met with a pop-up window when attempting to access the app, forcing them to close the platform.
