Canada Shuts Down TikTok
Canada to shut down TikTok’s operations due to national security concerns.
Canadians can still access TikTok; use is not restricted.
Decision targets ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese company behind TikTok.
Closure affects hundreds of Canadian jobs.
Fears over data privacy and potential Chinese influence fueled the move.
Canada had already banned TikTok on government-issued devices.
On Wednesday, Canada declared it will not prevent access to the widely used video-sharing platform TikTok, but it is directing the closure of its Canadian operations following a national security examination of the Chinese firm that owns it.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne stated that it aims to mitigate risks associated with ByteDance Ltd.’s creation of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The government is not restricting Canadians’ access to the TikTok app or their capacity to produce content.” “The choice to utilize a social media app or platform is an individual decision,” stated Champagne.
Champagne emphasized that Canadians should embrace effective cybersecurity measures, particularly safeguarding their personal data.
He stated that the dissolution order was issued following the Investment Canada Act, which permits the examination of foreign investments that could jeopardize Canada’s national security. He stated that the choice was made based on information and evidence gathered during the review process, along with guidance from Canada’s security and intelligence agencies and other governmental partners.
A spokesperson for TikTok stated that closing its Canadian offices will result in the elimination of hundreds of local positions.
“The spokesperson stated, ‘We will contest this order in court.'” “The TikTok platform will continue to be accessible for creators to discover an audience, pursue new interests, and for businesses to flourish.”
TikTok is extremely popular among youth, yet its Chinese ownership has sparked concerns that Beijing might exploit it to gather data on Western users or promote pro-China stories and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese firm that relocated its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.
TikTok is under increasing examination from both Europe and America regarding security and data privacy issues. This situation arises as China and the West are engaged in a broader struggle over technology, encompassing everything from surveillance balloons to microchips.
Canada had previously prohibited TikTok on all mobile devices issued by the government. TikTok operates two offices in Canada, located in Toronto and Vancouver.
Michael Geist, the Canada research chair in internet and e-commerce law at the University of Ottawa, stated in a blog post that “prohibiting the company instead of the app might actually exacerbate the situation, as the dangers linked to the app will persist, but the capacity to hold the company responsible will diminish.”
Canada’s action follows the day after Donald Trump’s election in the United States. In June, Trump became a part of TikTok, a platform he previously attempted to prohibit during his presidency. It has approximately 170 million users in the United States.
Trump attempted to prohibit TikTok via an executive order that claimed “the proliferation in the United States of mobile apps created and owned” by Chinese firms posed a national security risk. The courts halted the action following TikTok’s lawsuit.
The U.S. FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have both cautioned that ByteDance might transmit user information like browsing history, location, and biometric data to the Chinese government. TikTok stated that it has never done that and would decline if requested.
Earlier this year, Trump stated that he continues to think TikTok presents a national security threat, yet he was against prohibiting it.
In April, U.S. President Joe Biden enacted a law requiring ByteDance to divest the app to an American firm within a year or risk a nationwide prohibition. It remains uncertain if that law will withstand a legal challenge initiated by TikTok or if ByteDance would consent to a sale.
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