Trudeau Maintains Silence on Possible U.S. TikTok Ban Following Passage of Crucial Legislation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refrained from providing commentary as the United States advanced a bill potentially banning TikTok, emphasizing his ongoing vigilance in safeguarding cybersecurity for Canadians.
On Tuesday, the United States Senate approved legislation compelling TikTok’s China-based parent company to divest the social media platform or face prohibition. This action stems from enduring apprehensions regarding a Chinese statute mandating companies to cooperate with authorities in data sharing.
Anticipated legal disputes surround this legislative maneuver, eliciting apprehensions from content creators reliant on the platform for income.
“I’m not going to comment on what other governments are doing. What I will say is Canada will continue to look very closely at how we can make sure we’re keeping Canadians safe while making sure we’re taking advantage of great technologies that spur innovation and opportunity for people right across the country,” Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday.
“We know that the security, privacy and the data protection of Canadians needs to be a first priority for us. We’ve already taken significant measures on that and we will continue to do that. But we will act in ways that are right for Canadians.“
In February 2023, Canadian authorities prohibited the use of TikTok on government-issued mobile devices, aligning with similar actions taken by other Western nations due to security apprehensions.
At that juncture, Trudeau remarked, “This could serve as an initial measure, or it might suffice as the sole action needed.”
The concerns surrounding TikTok primarily revolve around security risks associated with data privacy and potential ties to foreign governments.
The TikTok ban was a component of a comprehensive $95-billion package, encompassing foreign aid allocations to Ukraine and Israel, which garnered a 79-18 passing vote.
Now, the bill proceeds to President Joe Biden, who affirmed in a statement following its approval that he intends to sign it on Wednesday.
The approval of this legislation marks the culmination of enduring bipartisan concerns in Washington regarding Chinese influence and TikTok ownership, a platform utilized by 170 million Americans.
Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have issued warnings, expressing apprehensions that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, might share user data—including browsing history, location data, and biometric information—with the Chinese government.
In a September 2022 intelligence briefing revealed by The Canadian Press through access-to-information laws, fresh concerns regarding TikTok surfaced within the Canadian government.
The briefing, conducted by the Privy Council Office’s intelligence assessment secretariat, highlighted TikTok as the first Chinese-owned app to surpass a billion users outside of China, thus establishing a global platform for Beijing’s potential exploitation.
The heavily redacted briefing noted, “Despite assurances, there is mounting evidence suggesting accessibility of TikTok’s data to China,” drawing from both publicly available sources and classified information.
In response to discussions surrounding a potential U.S. ban, the company asserted that the same level of scrutiny should be applied to all social media platforms.
