Ottawa is weighing the recent move by allies to ban the controversial social media application TikTok from government devices, but it remains to be seen whether a similar ban could be enacted here. .
To “ensure that government information systems and networks remain secure and protected,” the Office of the Treasury, a hub for federal processes and functions, said in a statement sent to Global News on Friday. said it was cooperating with other departments.
“The Canadian government is assessing the situation, including recent legislative announcements by US allies and the European Commission, and will determine next steps if necessary,” a TBS spokesperson said in a statement.
Global News asked if government agencies are considering banning the app on government devices.
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The European Commission announced Thursday morning a complete ban on the use of applications on work phones, including personal devices registered with the Commission’s “Mobile Device Service”.
The app is also banned in India, and the US is currently considering legislation to ban TikTok because it could be used to spy on Americans and censor content.
Congress recently banned TikTok from most US government-issued devices, citing bipartisan security concerns, and the US military also banned the app on military devices.
The concerns clouding the social media platform stem from TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The company has faced criticism from those who have warned that the Chinese government could access user data such as browsing history and location information.
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Canada’s federal privacy watchdog also announced on Thursday that it would launch a joint investigation into TikTok with its three provincial counterparts.
According to the Privacy Commissioner’s Office, the study will determine whether TikTok’s practices are “compliant” with Canadian privacy laws and whether “meaningful consent has been obtained for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. We plan to delve into
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Of particular concern to watchdogs is the privacy of young Canadians who dominate the use of applications in the country.
research by Social Media Lab at Toronto Metropolitan UniversityIt was released in September . However, it revealed that 76% of users between the ages of 18 and 24 have an account on the platform.
Canadian parliamentarians will also investigate security concerns about popular social media applications in a parliamentary committee.
Earlier this month, the House Ethics Committee voted to launch an investigation into TikTok and other social media platforms’ use of “personal information of Canadians for data collection purposes.”
TikTok was the most downloaded application in 2022. According to Forbes.
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