The Canadian government has ordered a national security review of the social media app TikTok, following the passage of a U.S. bill aimed at banning the app. A recent poll conducted by Leger revealed that 51 per cent of Canadians support banning TikTok, while 28 per cent oppose the ban. Younger Canadians, who are more likely to use the app, are less supportive of a ban compared to older Canadians. The concern surrounding TikTok is mostly fueled by its ownership by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd, which has raised national security concerns in both the U.S. and Canada.
The U.S. bill aiming to ban TikTok would require ByteDance to sell its stake in the business before the ban is implemented. The Canadian national security review of TikTok is not directly related to the U.S. bill, but rather focuses on potential security risks associated with the app’s ownership. Despite concerns about national security, the Leger poll found that only 21 per cent of respondents have decreased their usage of TikTok, while seven per cent have stopped using the app altogether. The government has indicated that TikTok will be subject to enhanced scrutiny through a new policy on foreign investments in the digital media sector.
In Canada, TikTok is less popular than other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which have higher usage rates among Canadians. However, users of these more popular platforms also express concerns about data protection, with over three-quarters of Facebook users and 70 per cent of Instagram users expressing worries about their personal data. Similarly, 66 per cent of TikTok users also have concerns about data protection. Overall, Canadians appear to have general concerns about social media in terms of data protection, beyond just specific to TikTok.
When it comes to opinions on banning TikTok, there is a divide between younger and older Canadians, with older individuals being more supportive of a ban. Messaging from U.S. politicians pushing for the ban could be influencing opinions in Canada, as concerns about the ownership of TikTok by a Chinese company may be influencing public perception. Despite the concerns raised by various countries about TikTok’s security risks, the majority of Canadian users have not significantly changed their usage of the app. It remains to be seen how the Canadian government’s national security review will impact the future of TikTok in the country.
