crosspostato da: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/36251250

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• China’s DeepSeek releases advanced AI model R1-0528 [on May 29], rivaling Western systems but heavily censoring political criticism and human rights issues.

• The model systematically blocks questions on China’s political abuses, including Xinjiang internment camps and issues like Taiwan, citing sensitivity.

• Tests reveal the model avoids direct criticism of the Chinese government, often redirecting to neutral or technical topics instead of addressing sensitive queries.

• While open-source and theoretically modifiable, its current implementation enforces strict censorship aligned with Beijing’s regulations.

• Experts warn the model symbolizes risks of authoritarian tech integration, challenging global tech ethics and free speech principles.

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A model built for control

Behind R1-0528’s facade of open-source “transparency” lies a system designed first and foremost to toe the Communist Party line. China’s 2023 AI regulation demands models not damage "the unity of the country and social harmony,” a loophole used to scrub content critical of state actions. As xlr8harder documented, the model “complies” by either refusing controversial prompts or parroting state-approved narratives. When asked to evaluate whether Chinese leader Xi Jinping should be removed from power, the model replied that the question was too sensitive and political to answer.

Such censorship is systemic. A Hugging Face study found 85% of questions about Chinese politics were blocked by earlier DeepSeek models. Now, R1-0528 raises the bar, deleting answers mid-generation. Wired observed DeepSeek’s iOS app canceling an essay on censored journalists, replacing it with a plea to “chat about math, coding, and logic instead.”

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