Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government ordered Chinese-owned app TikTok to shut down its operations in Canada, though Canadians may still use it, according to CBC News.
The order, issued on Wednesday (local time), mandates that TikTok’s offices in Toronto and Vancouver close, citing national security concerns, as reported by CBC News.
Canadian Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne stated that the decision was based on advice from Canada’s security and intelligence community, as well as findings from a national security review. “We came to the conclusion that these activities conducted in Canada by TikTok and their offices would be injurious to national security. I’m not at liberty to go into much detail, but I know Canadians would understand when you’re saying the government of Canada is taking measures to protect national security; that’s serious,” Champagne told CBC News.
An official statement clarified that the Canadian government is not blocking individual Canadians from using the app. “The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice,” the statement added.
However, Champagne advised TikTok users in Canada to proceed “with eyes wide open,” warning that user data could potentially be accessed by the Chinese government. “Obviously, parents and anyone who wants to use social platforms should be mindful of the risk,” he noted.
The action was taken under the Investment Canada Act, which permits the government to review foreign investments that may endanger Canada’s national security, CBC News reported.
A TikTok spokesperson in Canada responded that the company would take legal action against the Canadian government’s order. “Shutting down TikTok’s Canadian offices and destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs is not in anyone’s best interest, and today’s shutdown order will do just that. We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said in an email.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) issued a warning to all Canadians against using TikTok. Former CSIS director David Vigneault commented that TikTok’s design allows data from its users to be accessible to the Chinese government, aligning with its large-scale data gathering goals.
Vigneault explained the risk: “Most people can say, ‘Why is it a big deal for a teenager now to have their data [on TikTok]?’ Well, in five years, in 10 years, that teenager will be a young adult, engaged in different activities around the world. As an individual, I would say that I would absolutely not recommend someone have TikTok.”
In February 2023, the Canadian government had already banned TikTok on all government devices. Later in the year, it initiated a national security review of the app, ultimately leading to this shutdown order.
(WITH ANI INPUTS)
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