The federal Liberal Party said it ordered a national security review of the popular video app TikTok in September 2023 but did not make it public.
A spokesperson for Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said this week: “This is an ongoing litigation. Due to the confidentiality provisions of the Investment Canada Act, we are unable to comment further.”
“Our government has never hesitated to take action as necessary if the case under consideration was found to be detrimental to Canada’s national security.”
The revelation came after the US House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban TikTok unless its China-based owners sell their stake in the business.
When asked if the Canadian government would consider measures similar to the U.S. bill, Champagne’s office said the Liberal government “ordered a national security review of TikTok Canada” on September 6.
The House of Representatives just recently passed a bill banning TikTok in the U.S. According to the bill, TikTok’s owner, Beijing-based ByteDance, must sell the app within 180 days or If not, it will be banned in the country. CBC’s Washington correspondent Alexander Panetta breaks down what the bill means and what’s next.
The company said the review was based on business expansion, which amounted to the creation of a new Canadian corporation. He did not provide further details about the expansions being considered.
The department said the information is protected and confidential under the Investment Canada Act, so the decree cannot be accessed online as usual.
The law indicated that TikTok would be subject to “enhanced surveillance” under the law through a new policy on foreign investment in the interactive digital media sector announced by the government earlier this month.
Speaking at a news conference Thursday in Windsor, Ont., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he could not comment on the review.
“Canada has decided that the TikTok app cannot be installed on any government cell phone or device. This is a security and safety issue. Of course, we are closely monitoring the discussions happening in the United States, but it is important to note that national security “I cannot comment on warranty reviews,” he said.
A federal policy statement issued earlier this month states that “hostile state-sponsored or influenced actors can use foreign investment in the interactive digital media sector to spread disinformation in ways that undermine Canada’s national security.” “They may try to spread the word or manipulate information.”
The federal government banned TikTok from mobile devices in February 2023 after federal and state privacy commissions launched their own investigations into the platform.
The Canadian review is unrelated to the U.S. bill, which is based on concerns that the company’s current ownership structure poses a national security threat.
US increases pressure
TikTok is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology company ByteDance Ltd.
U.S. lawmakers say ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government, and the government could demand access to TikTok’s U.S. consumers’ data through China’s national security law, which requires organizations to help collect information. It is claimed that there is.
The bill still needs to pass the Senate, where lawmakers have indicated they will give it a thorough overhaul. US President Joe Biden said he would sign the bill if Congress passes it.
In an October 2022 survey conducted by Toronto Metropolitan University, nearly 30% of Canadian respondents said they use TikTok.
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that many say could lead to the demise of TikTok in the country. About That producer Lauren Bird explains the bill, its constitutionality, and what it would mean for app users if it becomes law.
The U.S. market is paramount to many Canadian creators of TikTok content, said Scott Benji, executive director of Digital First Canada. The organization champions digital creators and has received funding from TikTok in the past.
“If a ban actually goes into effect in the U.S., it would mean the end of Canadians’ careers on TikTok,” he said.
For creators who earn money through sponsorships, “obviously most brands want to connect with U.S. audiences, and if that’s not possible, that money just goes away,” he said. Stated.
Nathan Kennedy, a personal finance content creator in Hamilton, Ont., said he feels “pretty calm” about the situation, noting that threats to ban TikTok have been around for years.
This is his biggest platform and the majority of his viewers are in the United States. He became a full-time content creator two and a half years ago.
“I have to stay calm about everything. There’s literally nothing I can do,” he said.
