The Canadian government has ordered TikTok to shutter its operations in the country, citing national security risks. Users in Canada, however, will still have access to the app.
“The government is taking action to address the specific national security risks related to ByteDance Ltd’s operations in Canada through the establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc,” Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement on Wednesday (via Reuters).
This dissolution order comes after a national security review of TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance, which put forth a proposal last year to expand its business in Canada.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” Champagne added.
TikTok issued a statement Wednesday, saying that the Chinese-owned social media platform will challenge the order in court.
“Shutting down TikTok’s Canadian offices and destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs is not in anyone’s best interest, and today’s shutdown order will do just that,” the statement reads. “We will challenge this order in court. The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
Canada banned TikTok from government-issued devices in 2023, saying that the app “presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security.”
The video app has faced similar scrutiny from the U.S. government. In May, TikTok filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the U.S. law that would force ByteDance to sell the app or face a nationwide ban.