Canada has banned TikTok on official cell phones of government employees

The government of Canada banned the TikTok app on official cell phones it supplies to its staff, citing “an unacceptable level of risk” to privacy and security. the measurement begins apply from this Tuesday.

Mona Fortier, president of the Canadian Treasury Board, the public body in charge check federal officialssaid in a statement that the application will be deletedto all official cell phones.

“On a mobile device, TikTok’s data collection methods provide great access to content phone,” he said, adding that this decision was made “as a measure of cautionedN”.

“Even to users of these devices the download will be blockeda of the application in the future. Following a review of TikTok, the Canadian CIO determined that it poses an unacceptable level of privacy and security risk.”

Despite the final decision, the official added that he had no reason “to believe any government information has been compromised.”

For his part, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin trudeauhe stated in a press conference that although the government wants to respect the right to freedom of expression of Canadians, there are also “very important principles about data protection and security“.

“Like many countries around the world, we are carefully considering how to keep Canadians safe online. And the decision is that it is better than government equipment and workers they don’t have access to tiktok faced with security concerns,” added the politician.

The Canadian prime minister also anticipated that other Canadians will consider the risk TikTok poses to their safety. “and maybe” they will act accordingly.

The ban on the use of TikTok on official Canadian cellphones comes a few days later the European Union adopts a similar measure. The United States has already banned the use of TikTok on official mobile phones in 2022.

Surprise in TikTok before Canada’s measure

A TikTok spokeswoman said Canada’s decision to block the app was “curious”since it was taken “without quoting no specific security issues“, and regretted that the government they have not been in contact with them before the official announcement.

The popular viral short video platform, owned by the Chinese company ByteDanceit is increasingly scrutinized by Western countries, who fear that China could thus access the data of users from all over the world.

TikTok is too targeted by the US authorities: a law ratified a few weeks ago by President Joe Biden prohibits the use of this application in the House of Representatives and the Senateas well as in the devices of the administration officials.

THE China-Canada relations have deteriorated dramatically in recent years, especially after the arrest from Ottawa, at the request of the United States, del Huawei Chief Financial OfficerMeng Wanzhou, in 2018.

Canada’s privacy commissioner, a non-partisan ombudsman and Parliament official, announced this last week launched an investigation into TikTok for the purpose of establishing its compliance with Canadian law.

Its purpose in particular is to verify that “TikTok has obtained valid consent for the collection, use and disclosure of information.

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