Canada Orders TikTok to Shut Down Offices Over Security Risks

Canada has ordered TikTok to cease its operations within the country, citing “specific national security risks.” The decision, announced by François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science, and industry, follows a security review conducted by Canadian authorities with input from the country’s security and intelligence community. The app’s parent company, ByteDance, has faced ongoing scrutiny over its potential data access and ties to the Chinese government.

While the order mandates TikTok to wind down its business presence in Canada—including offices in Vancouver and Toronto—the government clarified that Canadian users will still be able to access and post content on the platform. Unlike the outright bans seen on government devices in Canada, the US, UK, New Zealand, and Australia, this move does not extend to the general public’s use of TikTok.

In a statement, Champagne underscored the importance of cybersecurity and encouraged Canadians to be vigilant about the risks of using social media apps, especially in light of concerns over how data is “protected, managed, used, and shared by foreign actors.”

TikTok, for its part, voiced strong opposition to the shutdown order. “Shutting down TikTok’s Canadian offices and destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs is not in anyone’s best interest, and today’s shutdown order will do just that,” said a TikTok spokesperson. “We will challenge this order in court. TikTok takes data privacy concerns very seriously.”

The order comes as part of a broader wave of scrutiny surrounding TikTok’s global operations. In the US, the app is facing a potential ban unless ByteDance divests its ownership by January 19, per a new law introduced by the White House. The situation echoes previous efforts by President-elect Donald Trump to force a sale of TikTok during his earlier term, a stance he reiterated during his recent campaign.