Canada bans TikTok from conducting business in country over national security concerns

(MENAFN) Canada has announced a ban on TikTok from conducting business within the country due to national security concerns, Minister of Innovation Francois-Philippe Champagne revealed on Wednesday. As part of the ban, TikTok is required to close its offices in Toronto and Vancouver. While Canadians will still be able to use the app, Champagne urged them to exercise caution when doing so, emphasizing the importance of good cyber security practices. He recommended that Canadians carefully evaluate the risks of using social media platforms, particularly concerning how their data is handled and shared by foreign entities.

The decision to halt TikTok’s operations in Canada follows a thorough security review, which was based on information and evidence collected during the process. Champagne confirmed that the decision was made after receiving advice from Canada's security and intelligence community, as well as other government partners. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had previously issued warnings to Canadians regarding the potential risks of using TikTok, citing concerns over data security and the platform's ownership by Chinese company ByteDance.

Former CSIS director David Vigneault explained the broader implications of the data privacy issue, warning that personal data, especially from younger users, could be used in ways that pose long-term risks. He highlighted that information gathered today could be leveraged in future geopolitical or security matters, as young people grow older and engage in more complex activities. This caution mirrors concerns raised in the United States, where lawmakers have raised similar alarms about TikTok’s data privacy practices and its potential ties to the Chinese government.

In the United States, TikTok’s future is uncertain, as US lawmakers have threatened a full shutdown of the app unless ByteDance sells its American operations by January 2025. US officials argue that the app could be pressured by the Chinese government to share data on American users, thus raising significant national security concerns. These developments in Canada and the US underscore the growing scrutiny TikTok faces from Western governments over data security and potential foreign influence.

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