(Halifax) The Nova Scotia government has in turn banned the TikTok app from government-issued mobile devices, adding to a growing list of jurisdictions that have imposed similar measures against the Chinese-owned social network. .
The short-video sharing platform has come under increased scrutiny in Canada and around the world recently, as the Chinese government has a stake in its owner, ByteDance. Chinese laws also allow the state to demand access to user data.
Quebec on Tuesday imposed a ban on installing TikTok on government devices, following a similar decree from Ottawa the day before.
The United States announced on Monday that all government agencies have 30 days to remove TikTok from federal devices and systems, and several other countries have since followed suit, including India, Taiwan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, as well. than the European Union.
In Nova Scotia, the provincial government released a statement saying TikTok’s data collection methods provide substantial access to data on mobile devices, making users “vulnerable to surveillance.”
Service Nova Scotia Minister Colton LeBlanc argued that the TikTok app does not need to be installed on government devices.
“There are also concerns about the legal regime that governs the information collected,” added Mr. LeBlanc. There is no evidence, at this time, that foreign actors have compromised government information. »
Officials in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador have confirmed they are considering imposing a similar ban.
The Chinese company that owns TikTok has long maintained that it does not share data with the Chinese government and that its data is not stored in China. It also refuted accusations that it collects more user data than other social media outlets.
