Canada’s data regulators watchdogs are looking into how TikTok gets information about its users.
Since ByteDance, a huge company in China, owns the video-sharing platform, there are concerns that it sends information to Beijing.
The European Commission instructed its staff to delete the TikTok app to safeguard the institution, which led to Canada’s decision to take action regarding the app.
Privacy is “a top priority,” according to TikTok.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said that it and provincial privacy regulators from Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta had started the investigation into TikTok.
According to a statement, the reason for starting the investigation was the settlement of class-action lawsuits in the U.S. and Canada, as well as numerous news stories reporting on how TikTok collects, uses, and shares personal information.
Its goal is to find out “if the organization’s practices comply with Canadian privacy laws.”
The people in charge of privacy said that many of TikTok’s users are younger and that it is more important than ever to protect the privacy of children.
They will check to see if the company is doing what it needs to do to be open.
A representative for TikTok said that the investigation was a chance to “set the record straight” about how the company protects Canadians’ privacy.
Increased Scope
Governments from all over the world, including Canada, are concerned about TikTok, as they believe that China may use the app to obtain information about its users or advance its own objectives.
In the previous month, the Dutch government instructed public officials not to use the app, while the US has already implemented a ban for federal government employees.
Although some Conservative MPs have raised concerns again, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is refusing to comply with demands to prohibit government officials from using TikTok.
Chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Alicia Kearns is leading the call for the UK government to follow the European Commission, the EU executive, and the EU Council and tell staff to delete the app.
TikTok has said in the past that Beijing can’t get to the information on its service.
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