The government of Canada announced this Wednesday the closure of the operations of the Canadian subsidiary of TikTok after a security review, although the popular short video application may continue to be used in the country.
“The government is taking steps to address specific national security risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada,” Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement.
The move places no restrictions on Canadian users of TikTok, which has come under scrutiny because it is owned by China-based tech giant ByteDance.
“The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice,” Champagne said.
Canada had banned TikTok on all government devices last year and launched a security review of the app.
Champagne explained that Wednesday’s decision was made in accordance with a law that “allows the review of foreign investments that may be detrimental to Canada’s national security.”
Michael Geist, a cyber expert at the University of Ottawa, warned that while “there may well be good reasons” to ban the company, the move could be counterproductive.
“Banning the company instead of the app may make matters worse, as the risks associated with the app will remain, but the ability to hold the firm accountable will be weakened,” Geist wrote in an online post.
TikTok also faces a ban in the United States if it remains owned by ByteDance, a threat the company is fighting in a federal appeals court, claiming it violates the right to free speech.