Canada has banned TikTok from operating in the country

The ban will not affect the functionality of the TikTok app, but will only affect ByteDance’s subsidiary, TikTok Technology Canada Inc., whose activities in Canada will be interrupted.

Ordinary users will still be able to use the social network; A separate ban on the app applies only to government officials and employees of certain media outlets, including the Globe and Mail newspaper.

Apart from Canada, installing TikTok on a phone is prohibited for officials and politicians in the United States, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In India the service is completely prohibited. The social network also risks losing the US market completely: under the terms of the April aid package for US allies, ByteDance is obliged to sell TikTok’s local branch to US investors by January 2025.

“The decision to use an application or social network is a personal choice. Canadians should evaluate the potential risks of use. [подобных] applications and social networks, as well as the degree of protection of your personal data against foreign influences,” Champagne emphasized, recommending government guidelines on personal cybersecurity so that citizens become familiar with them.

In a statement, TikTok criticized the new restrictions. According to the company, the office closures will result in the loss of “hundreds of well-paid jobs.” The platform promised to challenge the government’s decision in court. TikTok has almost 6 million monthly users in Canada, more than 70% of whom are under 40 years old.