In the interests of national security, the TikTok office in Canada is being ordered to close. However, citizens of the country can use the TikTok app and post content on it.
Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne said the government is taking measures to address specific national security risks related to the activities of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
TikTok has come under scrutiny as it is owned by China-based ByteDance. However, there is no ban on the use of TikTok in Canada.
“The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice,” says Champagne.
Last year, Canada banned TikTok from all government devices and launched a security review of the app.
Champagne said last Wednesday that the decision was made in accordance with a law that allows for the review of foreign investments. Canada reviews companies that may be harmful to Canada's national security.
A TikTok spokesperson said they will challenge the decision in court. Shutting down TikTok's Canadian offices and destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs wouldn't be good for anyone.
Michael Gist, a cyber expert at the University of Ottawa, said, 'There may be good reasons behind banning the app. But he warned that the move could have adverse effects.
In an online post, Michael Gist said banning the company instead of the app would actually make things worse, because the risks associated with the app would remain. But the company cannot be held responsible for these risks.
TikTok would also be banned in the US if it was owned by ByteDance. TikTok is fighting the ban in federal appeals court. The company claims this violates the right to free speech.
The US government has alleged that TikTok allows Beijing to collect user data and conduct surveillance on them. They also claimed that the platform was acting as a medium for spreading propaganda.
