HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government today banned the use of TikTok on government-issued mobile devices.
The social media platform, known for its short video clips, has come under increased scrutiny in Canada and elsewhere because the Chinese government has a stake in its owner, ByteDance, and Chinese laws allow the state to demand access to user data.
The Quebec government imposed a ban on Tuesday, following a similar edict from the federal government on Monday.
The United States announced Monday that all government agencies have 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems, and several other countries have since followed suit, including India, Taiwan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, as well as the European Union.
Service Nova Scotia Minister Colton LeBlanc issued a statement saying “there is no need for the TikTok app to be on government-issued mobile devices.”
The provincial government says TikTok’s data collection methods provide substantial access to data on mobile devices, making users “vulnerable to surveillance.”
“There are also concerns about the legal regime that governs the information collected,” Colton said. “There is no evidence at this time that foreign actors have compromised government information.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 1, 2023.
Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free)
does not endorse these opinions.
You can read more of the news on source
