Canada orders TikTok to cease operations over national security concerns

Canada has instructed TikTok to cease its business activities in the country, citing national security risks associated with the app and its parent company, ByteDance.

Although the government did not impose a full ban on TikTok, the company will be required to wind up its operations in Canada, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, stated that the decision was made after a thorough review, based on information from Canada’s intelligence and security agencies. "This action is aimed at addressing the national security risks posed by ByteDance's operations in Canada, particularly through TikTok Technology Canada, Inc.," Champagne said.

This move follows a comprehensive national security review by Canada’s intelligence community and comes after the country had already banned TikTok from government devices. It also mirrors similar concerns raised in the United States, where lawmakers have debated a potential ban of the app, citing security risks linked to its Chinese ownership. TikTok has actively contested the US legislation.

A TikTok spokesperson expressed the company’s intention to challenge Canada’s order in court. “Shutting down TikTok’s Canadian operations and terminating hundreds of local jobs is not in anyone’s best interest,” the spokesperson said.

“We will fight this order legally, and the TikTok platform will remain accessible for creators and businesses in Canada,” he added.

By Vafa Guliyeva