The decision, reported by the Associated Press, marks a distinctive strategy in handling concerns about the Chinese-owned platform.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne emphasized that the order, made under the Investment Canada Act, targets ByteDance’s corporate presence rather than user access.
“The government is not blocking Canadians’ access to TikTok or their ability to create content,” Champagne stated. “The decision to use a social media application remains a personal choice.”
TikTok, which employs hundreds at its Toronto and Vancouver offices, plans to challenge the order in court. “The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience and for businesses to thrive,” a company spokesperson said, while expressing concern over “hundreds” of local job losses.
The decision comes amid growing global scrutiny of TikTok’s Chinese ownership. While Canada previously banned the app from government devices, this new approach differs from past attempts at regulation, including former (and soon-to-be again) US President Donald Trump’s unsuccessful effort to ban the app entirely in 2020. Ironically, Trump himself recently joined the platform, which now boasts roughly 170 million US users.
Experts have raised concerns about the order, as some suggest it could reduce accountability while leaving potential risks unaddressed.
The move reflects broader tensions between China and Western nations over technology and data security. While TikTok maintains it has never shared user data with Chinese authorities, both the FBI and FCC have warned about potential risks of data sharing with Beijing.
This balanced approach by Canada could set a new precedent for how democracies handle popular but controversial tech platforms, attempting to address national security concerns while preserving individual user choice.
