• TikTok has been removed from all Canadian devices.
• In 2020, India banned TikTok.
• Users are not barred from using the app in the nation.

Since Tuesday, the social media app TikTok has been removed from all Canadian devices.

The decision to “remove and block TikTok from government mobile devices is being taken as a precaution, particularly given concerns about the legal regime that governs the information collected from mobile devices, and is in line with the approach of our international partners,” according to a release issued by the nodal agency, the Treasury Board Secretariat. The data collection techniques utilized by TikTok on mobile devices permit extensive access to the phone’s contents.

The concerns are related to ByteDance, the owner of the short-form video sharing platform. ByteDance is based in China, and Beijing has introduced new security standards that may require businesses to share information and data when requested.

On Tuesday, the application will be removed from all devices provided by the government. The application will also be prevented from being downloaded to these devices in the future. According to Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board, “The Chief Information Officer of Canada determined that it presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security” after reviewing TikTok.

She added, “at this point, there is no evidence that government information has been compromised.”

The actions taken by the Canadian government follow those of the United States and the European Union. In 2020, India banned TikTok.

Users are not barred from using the app in the nation. However, Fortier cautioned that guidelines issued by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security or Cyber Centre of the Communications Security Establishment strongly recommend that Canadians “understand the risks and make an informed choice on their own before deciding what tools to use.”

According to a source, the company issued a statement in response to the decision, stating, “We’re disappointed that the Chief Information Officer of Canada has moved to block TikTok on government-issued mobile devices without citing any specific security concerns about TikTok or contacting us to discuss any concern prior to making this decision.”

This action follows the launch of an investigation into the platform on Thursday by Canadian privacy commissioners from both the national and provincial levels.

The short-form video streaming application’s privacy commissioners from Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia will also be involved in the joint investigation, according to a release from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

“Examine whether the organization’s practices are in compliance with Canadian privacy legislation and, in particular, whether valid and meaningful consent is being obtained for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information,” the regulators will say.

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