TikTok is in danger! Canada launches investigation into Chinese social network
Canada joins the list of countries alarmed by the proximity of TikTok and Beijing-based ByteDance to the Chinese government.
Canadian data protection authorities suspected the social network TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, of collecting information about minors, as well as pushing harmful content, and launched an investigation.
The federal government and authorities in the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia will have to determine whether the collection, use and disclosure of private information by the social nmedia is legal. Particularly in cases involving Canadian minors.
Canadian politicians and privacy authorities are concerned that the Chinese government may be forcing ByteDance to share Canadians' private information.
TikTok is also suspected of distributing inappropriate material to children.
For their part, representatives of the social network assured the Canadian authorities that they are ready to fully cooperate with the investigation. "We will gladly cooperate with the federal and Canadian provincial governments to clear up any misunderstandings and demonstrate that we are serious about protecting Canadians' private information," said a TikTok spokesperson.
