Canada Bans TikTok From Government Devices

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Facts

• Canada announced Monday that it's banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices following growing Western concerns surrounding the security of the video-sharing social media app.¹
• The government said the app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, presents an 'unacceptable' level of risk to privacy and security, although Treasury Board Pres. Mona Fortier said there was no evidence of government information having been 'compromised.'²
• The ban will take effect on Tuesday and follows similar actions taken in the US and the EU, where bans were implemented in December 2022 and last week, respectively.³
• In response, TikTok claimed it was 'curious' that Canada only announced the decision after the EU and the US without contacting it about their concerns. A company spokesperson said it was willing to meet with government officials to discuss the matter.⁴
• Last week, Canada's federal privacy watchdog, as well as three provincial counterparts, announced a probe into whether the app complies with the nation's privacy legislation. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said the decision may be the 'first step' or the 'only step' concerning the matter.²
• The news comes after the Canadian Intelligence Security Service alleged that there was Chinese interference in the country's elections in 2021, prompting an increase in scrutiny surrounding China's role in the country.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²Channelnewsasia, ³Reuters, ⁴CNN and ⁵The globe and mail.

Narratives

• Anti-China narrative, as provided by Mint. While TikTok is extremely popular with younger generations, its Chinese ownership has caused justified fears over its potential use as a means to collect data on Westerners or promote misinformation and pro-China narratives. As China and the West are locked in an escalating technology war, Europe, the US, and Canada are rightly placing greater scrutiny on TikTok's security and data privacy.
• Pro-China narrative, as provided by Global times. Recent decision-making by Canada, the US, and the EU surrounding TikTok is the latest move in the West's attempts to squeeze Chinese technology companies and lead a political witch hunt. While sanctions against the app will have only a slight impact on TikTok's market value, the real losers will be the Canadians prohibited from using the platform.

Predictions