The Canadian government has ordered TikTok to cease its business operations in the country following a national security review, while Canadians will still be able to access the popular social media app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the decision on Wednesday, citing security concerns linked to TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance Ltd., and its Canadian entity, TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“This decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” Champagne said in a statement.
Although TikTok’s Canadian business will be dissolved, the government emphasized that the order does not restrict individual access to the app. Canadians can continue to use TikTok, create accounts, and access its content.
Nonetheless, officials urged the public to remain cautious and practice good cybersecurity habits when using social media platforms.
In response, a TikTok spokesperson confirmed that the shutdown would lead to significant job losses across the company's Canadian workforce. The spokesperson also announced that TikTok plans to challenge the order in court, stating, “The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests, and for businesses to thrive.”
The controversy surrounding TikTok and its data privacy practices extends beyond Canada. In the United States, the House of Representatives passed a bill in March 2024 to ban TikTok unless ByteDance divests its ownership.
This bill, set to take effect in January 2025, has drawn mixed reactions from U.S. leaders, including President-elect Donald Trump, who initially pushed for a TikTok ban in 2020 but has since voiced support for the platform.
Canada’s latest move follows a 2023 ban on TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices, enacted as part of the ongoing security investigations.
The shutdown order in Canada represents an escalation in international scrutiny on TikTok and ByteDance, amid growing global concerns over data security and user privacy.
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