Operator Insights

Left it or turned it down2

1. 

   Dan EwartVice President of Information Technology and Chief Information OfficerUniversity of Idaho

   The University of Idaho's networks and university-managed computers, under a memo to all employees from the CIO and Chris Nomura, Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

   University of Idaho (support.uidaho.edu), published Aug 7, 2025Read the memo (opens University of Idaho (support.uidaho.edu) in a new tab)

   Observation

   The University of Idaho dropped DeepSeek: on Aug 7, 2025 it blocked DeepSeek's web interface and API on university networks and told employees to stop using it, for Department of Energy research compliance.

   Takeaway

   If your team does federally funded research, clear the DeepSeek API with research compliance before building on it, as the University of Idaho blocked it on its networks.

   What happened

   The memo, dated Aug 7, 2025, says access to DeepSeek AI services was restricted across university networks to comply with Department of Energy and other expected research and security requirements, citing federal DOE guidance that calls for heightened scrutiny of AI platforms that may pose data risks to federally funded research. DeepSeek web interface and API access is blocked on university networks, and DeepSeek is blocked on university-managed computers. Existing use must move to alternative AI applications at once, with limited exceptions where explicitly authorized.

   • Public organization write-up
   • Signed university memo
   • Scope and reason stated

   Deployment details

   The University of Idaho's networks and university-managed computers, under a memo to all employees from the CIO and Chris Nomura, Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

   • Public organization write-up
   • Signed university memo
   • Scope and reason stated

   Team

   University of Idaho employees

   Workload

   Any use of DeepSeek's web interface and API on university networks and university-managed computers

   Product version

   DeepSeek web interface and API

1. Victorian Department of Premier and CabinetFeb 12, 2025Victorian Government (vic.gov.au)The Victorian Government dropped DeepSeek: its Department of Premier and Cabinet ordered public bodies to remove DeepSeek's products, applications and web services from government systems and devices.

   

   Jeremi MouleSecretary, Department of Premier and CabinetVictorian Department of Premier and Cabinet

   The Victorian Public Service in Australia: public service bodies and public entities, under the Secretary's administrative guideline.

   Victorian Government (vic.gov.au), published Feb 12, 2025Read the guideline (opens Victorian Government (vic.gov.au) in a new tab)

   Observation

   The Victorian Government dropped DeepSeek: its Department of Premier and Cabinet ordered public bodies to remove DeepSeek's products, applications and web services from government systems and devices.

   Takeaway

   Before a public-sector or regulated team builds on the DeepSeek API, check whether a government directive already bars DeepSeek's web services on its systems.

   What happened

   On Feb 12, 2025 the Secretary issued a guideline under the Public Administration Act 2004 that follows the Commonwealth's PSPF Direction 001-2025, which found that DeepSeek products, applications and web services pose an unacceptable level of security risk. It covers everything DeepSeek supplies, websites and web services included. Public service bodies and public entities must prevent installation and remove existing instances from government systems and devices unless an approved legitimate business reason exists.

   • Public organization write-up
   • Signed government guideline
   • Scope and reason stated

   Deployment details

   The Victorian Public Service in Australia: public service bodies and public entities, under the Secretary's administrative guideline.

   • Public organization write-up
   • Signed government guideline
   • Scope and reason stated

   Team

   Victorian public service bodies and public entities

   Workload

   Any use of DeepSeek products, applications, websites and web services on government systems and devices

   Product version

   All DeepSeek products and web services

Adopted it1

1. 

   Zaeema NashathSenior Software EngineerLanka Data Foundation

   Lanka Data Foundation, which publishes Sri Lankan public data at opendata.lk, archives government gazettes with its open-source gztarchiver.

   GitHub (LDFLK/gztarchiver), published Oct 21, 2026Read the issue (opens GitHub (LDFLK/gztarchiver) in a new tab)

   Observation

   Lanka Data Foundation uses the DeepSeek API to classify Sri Lankan government gazettes, and an HTTP 429 burst can leave a large part of a batch uncategorised until the next run.

   Takeaway

   Throttle batch jobs on the DeepSeek API and retry 429s with backoff, because an unthrottled burst can fail a large part of a batch.

   What happened

   gztarchiver calls DeepSeek once per gazette, back to back and with no throttling, so a full year can mean hundreds of requests in quick succession to the DeepSeek endpoint. When the API returns HTTP 429, the document is marked NOT CATEGORISED and logged as a failed classification, and it is retried only on the next run. The team proposes a requests-per-minute limit and exponential backoff that honours Retry-After before a document is marked failed.

   • Public engineering write-up
   • Failure mode described

   Deployment details

   Lanka Data Foundation, which publishes Sri Lankan public data at opendata.lk, archives government gazettes with its open-source gztarchiver.

   • Public engineering write-up
   • Failure mode described

   Team

   Lanka Data Foundation

   Workload

   Classifying Sri Lankan government gazettes, hundreds of requests for a full year

   Product version

   DeepSeek's API, called through a WSO2 Bijira gateway