The Canadian government has decided to prohibit the social media app TikTok from all devices issued by the government as a precautionary measure due to concerns over the app’s data-birching speculations, which allow considerable access to the devices. The decision aligns with the approach of international partners and follows similar actions taken by the United States, the European Union, and India.
The app will be removed and restricted from all devices issued by the government on Tuesday, and users will be blocked from downloading the China-based app. While the app is not being banned in the country for users, the Chief Information Officer of Canada has mentioned that the app has an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security.
The Communications Security Establishment’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security or Cyber Centre has revised guidelines stating that Canadians must understand the risks before deciding what tools to use.
A joint investigation by Canadian privacy commissioners at the national and provincial levels will judge if the app’s practices comply with Canadian privacy legislation and whether valid and meaningful consent is being obtained for collecting, using, and disclosing personal information.
