(Ottawa) At a time when United States President Joe Biden has just signed a law forcing the Chinese company that owns TikTok to sell its operations under penalty of expulsion, here in Canada, the federal government continues to study its options .
“Our government is closely monitoring developments related to the bill proposed by American legislators,” Audrey Champoux, press secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François, said in an email on Wednesday. -Philippe Champagne.
A review of TikTok’s activities on Canadian soil was triggered at least a year ago under the Investment Act Canada. The legislation provides for “review of foreign investments of any size for reasons of national security.”
“The government has not hesitated, and will not hesitate, to take measures with regard to transactions that would undermine Canada’s national security,” added the minister’s spokesperson in the same statement.
PHOTO COLE BURSTON, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau
For his part, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not want to comment on the Biden administration’s decision. “I’m not going to comment on what other governments are doing,” he said on the sidelines of an announcement in Oakville, Ontario.
“We know that security, privacy, and respect for Canadians’ data must be a top priority for us. We have already taken significant steps on this, and we will continue to do so,” he continued.
The federal government removed the social network app TikTok from all its employees’ devices in February 2023, having determined that it posed “an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security.”
There are concerns that Xi Jinping’s regime could have access to the data of users of the application. Because since the company that owns TikTok, the giant ByteDance, is established in China, it is legally required to share the data requested by Beijing.
TikTok collaborates, but defends itself
“We continue to collaborate with the government’s review of TikTok’s investment in Canada and remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of the platform,” said a spokesperson for the company’s Canadian branch.
Because it is in the interest of “millions of Canadian creators, artists and small businesses who rely on TikTok to earn a living, find a community and create jobs,” added the same spokesperson.
In the United States and Canada, TikTok categorically denies having shared user data with the Chinese government. And the Chinese company promises to fight in court against the “unconstitutional law” promulgated by Joe Biden.
The tenant of the White House signed on Wednesday a text adopted the day before by the American Senate. Under the law, ByteDance must sell TikTok within 12 months, otherwise the social network will be excluded from smartphone application stores in the United States.
The provision is part of a multibillion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Legault back on TikTok
SCREENSHOT OF FRANÇOIS LEGAULT’S TIKTOK ACCOUNT
The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault.
On the federal scene, deputies from all parties relegated the application of the social network to oblivion in February 2023, after receiving instructions. Party leaders also stopped using TikTok, and none have returned to it since.
In Quebec, the National Assembly recommended that the 125 elected officials also abandon it, in a directive published on February 28, 2023. It took a few days before Prime Minister François Legault resigned himself to no longer using the popular application.
He ended up returning there about a month ago.
According to his press secretary Ewan Sauves, this is notably because “a directive from the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs has evolved [en février dernier] », and moreover, the publications are made from “a separate device, not connected to government infrastructure”.
And there is a communication strategy behind the use of this tool, obviously. “We want to reach Quebecers who do not get their information via traditional media via our social media,” explains Mr. Sauves. And TikTok is particularly popular among young people. »
with Agence France-Presse