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The Canadian government has announced a ban on TikTok’s operations within the country, following a national security review of the popular social media app. However, despite the ban on its operations, Canadians will still be able to use TikTok on their personal devices.
The government’s decision comes after growing concerns about the potential risks to privacy and national security, with critics alleging that TikTok could be used to collect personal data from Canadian users, which might be accessed by the Chinese government.
As part of the decision, TikTok’s two Canadian offices, located in Toronto and Vancouver, will be shut down.
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne has urged Canadians to use TikTok “with eyes wide open,” stressing the importance of being aware of the potential risks involved with using the app. His comments reflect ongoing concerns over the app’s data privacy practices, which have sparked international debate.
While the ban limits TikTok’s ability to operate in Canada, users in the country are still permitted to download and use the app. The government has not moved to block access to the app itself, meaning Canadians can continue to engage with TikTok’s content as they did before the ban.
This decision comes as part of a broader global effort to scrutinize TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, over concerns related to data security and the app’s potential connections to the Chinese government. Several countries, including the United States and the European Union, have also raised similar security concerns.
(Written by: Emma Butler)