Section 4 permits redistribution and SaaS hosting of the model and its derivatives in any medium, subject to conditions including mandatory pass-through of use-based restrictions in all downstream legal agreements and provision of notice to downstream recipients.
This analysis describes what DeepSeek's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
Organizations redistributing or offering the model as a hosted service must contractually bind all downstream users to the Attachment A use restrictions, creating an auditable compliance chain requirement throughout the distribution network.
Under this clause, any organization distributing the model or derivatives must include the use-based restrictions from Attachment A as enforceable provisions in their own user agreements and must notify downstream users that these restrictions apply. This requirement applies to API-based and SaaS deployments as well as direct model redistribution.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Distribution and Downstream License Requirements and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"You may host for Third Party remote access purposes (e.g. software-as-a-service), reproduce and distribute copies of the Model or Derivatives of the Model thereof in any medium, with or without modifications, provided that You meet the following conditions: a. Use-based restrictions as referenced in paragraph 5 MUST be included as an enforceable provision by You in any type of legal agreement (e.g. a license) governing the use and/or distribution of the Model or Derivatives of the Model, and You shall give notice to subsequent users You Distribute to, that the Model or Derivatives of the Model are subject to paragraph 5.Excerpt from DeepSeek's Open Source License
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The downstream pass-through requirement engages general contract law and, indirectly, the regulatory frameworks applicable to the use restrictions themselves, including the EU AI Act and GDPR.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
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Organizations redistributing or offering the model as a hosted service must contractually bind all downstream users to the Attachment A use restrictions, creating an auditable compliance chain requirement throughout the distribution network.
Under this clause, any organization distributing the model or derivatives must include the use-based restrictions from Attachment A as enforceable provisions in their own user agreements and must notify downstream users that these restrictions apply. This requirement applies to API-based and SaaS deployments as well as direct model redistribution.
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