The Canadian government headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ordered China’s ByteDance-owned TikTok to shut down its operations in the country, citing national security risks. The government has, however, not banned the video sharing app’s usage in the country.
TikTok is owned by China’s ByteDance. India banned TikTok in June 2020, along with 150 other Chinese apps citing threat to national security and sovereignty of the country. Since then several other countries have put restrictions on the Chinese app, citing similar reasons.
What the shutdown order against TikTok says
“As a result of a multi-step national security review process, which involves rigorous scrutiny by Canada’s national security and intelligence community, the Government of Canada has ordered the wind up of the Canadian business carried on by TikTok Technology Canada, Inc. The government is taking action to address the specific national security risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada through the establishment of TikTok Technology Canada, Inc. The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Canada.
Shutdown order against TikTok under Investment Canada Act
“The government’s decision was made in accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may be injurious to Canada’s national security. The government applies enhanced scrutiny to investments that fall within the jurisdiction of the Investment Canada Act for a number of business sectors and activities, including the interactive digital media sector as outlined in the March 2024 Policy Statement on Foreign Investment Review in the Interactive Digital Media Sector. While Canada continues to welcome foreign direct investment, the government will act decisively when investments threaten our national security,” added the statement.
TikTok asked to shut down operations in Canada, but not banned per se
While the Canadian government has asked TikTok to wrap up its operations in the country, it is so far not banned its use. “The government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice. It is important for Canadians to adopt good cyber security practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply. The government encourages Canadians to consult the guidance issued by Communications Security Establishment Canada’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security to help them assess these risks,” added the minister’s statement.
Shutting down TikTok means loss of jobs, warns company; says will go to court
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of local jobs. “We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said. “The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive,” the statement added.