Canada orders TikTok’s Canadian business to be dissolved but won’t block app

TORONTO (AP) — Canada announced Wednesday it is ordering nan dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business aft a nationalist information reappraisal of nan Chinese institution down nan societal media app but said it won’t artifact access.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to reside risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s constitution of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.

“The authorities is not blocking Canadians’ entree to nan TikTok exertion aliases their expertise to create content. The determination to usage a societal media exertion aliases level is simply a individual choice,” Champagne said.

Champagne said it is important for Canadians to adopt bully cybersecurity practices, including protecting their individual information.

He said nan dissolution bid was made successful accordance pinch nan Investment Canada Act, which allows for nan reappraisal of overseas investments that whitethorn harm Canada’s nationalist security.

A TikTok spokesperson said successful a connection that nan shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean nan nonaccomplishment of hundreds of section jobs.

“We will situation this bid successful court,” nan spokesperson said. “The TikTok level will stay disposable for creators to find an audience, research caller interests and for businesses to thrive.”

TikTok is wildly celebrated pinch young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could usage it to cod information connected Western users aliases push pro-China narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese institution that moved its office to Singapore successful 2020.

TikTok faces intensifying scrutiny from Europe and America complete information and information privacy. It comes arsenic China and nan West are locked successful a wider tug of warfare complete exertion ranging from spy balloons to machine chips.

Canada antecedently banned TikTok from each government-issued mobile devices, reflecting widening worries from Western officials complete nan video sharing app.