Financial news

Canada bans TikTok on government mobile devices as security precaution – JURIST

Canada’s President of the Treasury Board, Mona Fortier, released a statement Monday announcing that Canada will ban TikTok on government-issued mobile devices effective February 28.Fortier reiterated the Government of Canada’s commitment to maintaining the security of government information through this ban. While the Canadian government does not have evidence that government information was compromised through the use of TikTok, it says there are clear security risks that arise from TikTok’s data collection methods.Fortier states:The decision to remove and block TikTok from government mobile devices is being taken as a precaution, particularly given concerns about the legal regime that governs the information collected from mobile devices, and is in line with the approach of our international partners.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the government’s ban. Trudeau emphasized the importance of data protection, as well as Canadian safety and security. The Prime Minister stated this ban may be the first step towards further restrictions on or an investigation into TikTok, or this ban could be the only step taken by the Canadian government. Trudeau is “always a fan of giving Canadians the information for them to make the right decisions for them.”Earlier this year the European Union temporarily banned TikTok on all staff devices. In the US, some states, including Wisconsin and North Carolina, have already banned TikTok on state government devices.