Canada has announced that it will ban TikTok from the mobile devices of its employees due to security concerns. The decision was made as the app presents an “unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security.”
The app, which has over 1 billion active users worldwide, has been under scrutiny for its alleged link to the Chinese government. The US has already warned of this link and accused TikTok of collecting and sharing data for Chinese intelligence.
This move follows the European Union’s recent ban of TikTok from the mobile devices of its employees. Canadian privacy regulators are also investigating whether the company obtains valid and meaningful consent from users when collecting their personal information.
TikTok was disappointed by the decision and claims the Canadian government did not provide evidence of risks posed by the mobile app.
Although the risks of using the application are clear, the Canadian government has stated that there is no evidence that government information has been compromised at this point. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this move may be the first step to further action or it may be enough.
Mona Fortier, the president of Canada’s Treasury Board, explained that TikTok’s data collection methods provide considerable access to the contents of a phone, making the risks of using the app apparent.
