TikTok banned on all government phones in Canada

Canada is banning TikTok on all government-owned mobile devices, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this could be the first step to take further action.

The European Union’s executive branch said last week it had temporarily banned the use of TikTok on phones used by employees as a cybersecurity measure. The EU’s move follows similar moves in the US, where more than half of the states and Congress have banned TikTok from official government devices.

TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, which has moved its headquarters to Singapore. It has been targeted by critics who say the Chinese government can access user data such as browsing history and location. The US military has also banned the app on military devices.

TikTok is used by two-thirds of American teenagers and has become the second most popular domain in the world. But Washington has long been bipartisan, fearful that Beijing will use its legal and regulatory powers to seize US user data or try to promote pro-China narratives or disinformation.

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Here’s a look at the broader TikTok debate:

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WHAT IS DANGEROUS ON TIKTOK?

Both the FBI and the FCC have warned that TikTok user data could be shared with owner ByteDance Ltd. authoritarian Chinese government. US officials are also concerned that the Chinese government may be using TikTok to promote pro-China narratives or disinformation.

Fears were fueled by news reports last year that a Chinese-based team had improperly accessed the data of U.S. TikTok users, including two journalists, as part of a covert surveillance program to investigate the source of press leaks.

There are also concerns that the company is sending tons of user data to China in violation of strict European privacy regulations.

In addition, concerns have been raised about TikTok content and whether it is harmful to teens’ mental health.

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WHO EXTENDED THE LIMITS?

In 2020, then-President Donald Trump and his administration sought to ban deals with the owner of TikTok, force him to sell his US holdings, and remove him from app stores. The courts have blocked Trump’s efforts to ban TikTok, and President Joe Biden reversed Trump’s orders upon taking office but ordered an in-depth study of the issue. The planned sale of TikTok’s US assets has been delayed.

In the US Congress, concern over the app was bipartisan. Last month, Congress banned TikTok from most US government-issued devices due to bipartisan security concerns.

The Senate in December approved a version of the TikTok ban sponsored by conservative Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, an outspoken critic of big tech companies.

But Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamurthy of Illinois co-sponsored legislation to completely ban TikTok in the US, and the measure, approved by Congress in December, won the backing of Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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Last week, Canada’s federal privacy watchdog and its provincial counterparts in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec announced an investigation to see if the app complies with Canadian privacy laws.

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WHAT IS TIKTOK SAYING?

“It is curious that the Canadian government only made the decision to block TikTok on government devices – without citing any specific security concerns or contacting us with questions – only after similar bans were implemented in the EU and the US. We are always available to meet with our government officials to discuss how we protect the privacy and security of Canadians, but spinning off TikTok in this way does not further that overall goal. a TikTok spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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