Has the Government of Canada Banned TikTok? What Closing TikTok Canada Really Means.

Recently, the Government of Canada has announced they have ordered the “wind up” of the Canadian Business carried on by TikTok Technology Canada, Inc. Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry shared that this decision was made as a part of “a multi-step national security review process, which involves rigorous scrutiny by Canada’s national security and intelligence community”. Minister Champagne added that the Canadian government is taking action to address the “specific national security risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada through the establishment of TikTok Technology Canada, Inc.” 

How Does This Impact You? 

Despite the closure of TIkTok Technology Canada, Minister Champagne has confirmed that Canadians can still use, access and create content on TikTok. “The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice. It is important for Canadians to adopt good cyber security practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.” The Canadian government encourages Canadians to consult the guidance issued by Communications Security Establishment Canada’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security to help them assess these risks when using apps like TikTok. A link to the guidance can be found here. 

How Was This Decision Made? 

The Canadian government made the choice to close TikTok Technology Canada, Inc. In accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may be harmful to Canada’s national security. “The government applies enhanced scrutiny to investments that fall within the jurisdiction of the Investment Canada Act for a number of business sectors and activities, including the interactive digital media sector as outlined in the March 2024 Policy Statement on Foreign Investment Review in the Interactive Digital Media Sector.”