To counter data collection, the government is banning TikTok on its mobile phones

Canada decided to act against espionage. The government announced Monday that it will ban the TikTok app on mobile devices it provides to its employees from Tuesday, citing an “unacceptable level of risk” to privacy and security.

“On mobile devices, TikTok’s data collection methods allow significant access to mobile content,” said Treasury Department Chief Mona Fortier, adding that it was taken “as a precautionary measure.” “We have no reason to believe at this time that any government information has been compromised,” she added.

A “curious” decision according to TikTok

For her part, a spokeswoman for TikTok responded to the “curious” decision that was made “without mentioning any specific security issue,” and lamented the government’s lack of contact with the platform.

The wildly popular short and viral video platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is under increasing scrutiny from Westerners who fear Beijing could access data of users around the world. This ban in Canada comes days after a similar decision by the European Commission, which banned TikTok from its employees in order to “protect” the institution.

TikTok is also in the crosshairs of US authorities: a law signed into law by President Joe Biden a few weeks ago bans the use of this app in the House and Senate, as well as on the devices of civil servants.

Canada’s Privacy Commissioner also announced last week that it had launched an investigation into TikTok with the aim of proving its compliance with Canadian laws. In particular, it aims to verify that “TikTok has obtained valid consent for the collection, use, and transfer of personal information.”