Canada reviewing a TikTok expansion plan for national security risks

OTTAWA: Canada in September ordered a nationwide safety overview of a proposal by TikTok to increase the short-video app‘s enterprise within the nation, the business ministry mentioned on Thursday.
The potential consequence of the overview, which may vary from Canada asking TikTok to take mitigation measures to even blocking the enlargement, may add to the corporate’s rising woes.
On Wednesday, the US Home handed a invoice to power TikTok’s Chinese language proprietor ByteDance to divest the US property of the app or face a ban. The measure is the most recent in a sequence of strikes in Washington to answer US nationwide safety issues about China, from linked automobiles to superior synthetic intelligence chips to cranes at US ports.
Canada final 12 months banned TikTok from government-issued gadgets, saying it presents an “unacceptable” stage of threat to privateness and safety.
Beneath Canadian legislation, the federal government can assess potential dangers to Canada’s nationwide safety from overseas investments such because the TikTok proposal. The legislation prevents the federal government from revealing the main points of such investments.
The Canadian overview isn’t anticipated to lead to an outright ban just like the one proposed in the US.
A TikTok spokesperson mentioned in a press release that “We proceed to cooperate with the federal government’s overview of TikTok’s funding in Canada, and stay dedicated to making sure the security and safety of the platform for the hundreds of thousands of Canadian creators, artists and small companies who depend on TikTok to earn a residing, discover neighborhood and create jobs.”
“Our authorities is intently following developments associated to the invoice being proposed by US lawmakers,” a spokesperson for Canada’s business minister mentioned in a press release.