In a significant move announced on Wednesday, Canada declared its decision to dissolve TikTok’s operations within the country following a thorough national security review of the social media platform. Although the government is proceeding with this dissolution, it clarified that Canadians will not be prohibited from accessing the application or utilizing it to create content.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne articulated that the decision is primarily aimed at addressing potential risks associated with ByteDance Ltd., the parent company of TikTok, and its establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc. He emphasized that engaging with social media platforms is ultimately up to individual Canadians and stressed the importance of good cybersecurity practices, particularly in safeguarding personal information.
The government’s decision was executed under the provisions of the Investment Canada Act, which empowers the review of foreign investments that could pose threats to national security. As of the announcement, there was no immediate response from TikTok Canada regarding the dissolution order.
The social media platform has garnered immense popularity among younger audiences; however, concerns related to its Chinese ownership have led to fears that it could be utilized by the Chinese government to harvest data from users in Western nations or disseminate pro-China propaganda alongside misinformation. For context, TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which relocated its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.
Amid escalating scrutiny, TikTok is facing increased scrutiny from both European and American lawmakers concerning issues surrounding security and data privacy. This development coincides with a broader technological tension between China and the West, which has included matters ranging from espionage to intricate supply chains involving computer chips.
Earlier, Canada had already implemented a ban on TikTok on all government-issued mobile devices, highlighting growing apprehension among Western officials regarding the video-sharing application.