Canada: TikTok under scanner as privacy regulators launch investigation

Canada is launching an investigation on federal as well as provincial level into short-video sharing platform TikTok. The joint investigation has been launched over concerns about the Chinese-owned platform's collection, use and disclosure of personal information of users.

Privacy Commissioner of Canada said in a statement that the federal privacy regulator and provincial regulators in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia will investigate whether TikTok complies with Canadian privacy laws or not.

They will focus on examining "whether valid and meaningful consent is being obtained for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information," according to the statement.

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A spokesperson for TikTok said the privacy and safety of users "is always a top priority" and the probe was an opportunity to "set the record straight" on how the company protects the privacy of Canadians. The spokesperson was quoted by Reuters.

TikTok is being scrutinised by agencies and governments around the world due to concerns that China may misuse the app users' data. China denies such allegations. ByteDance, a Chinese company, owns TikTok.

The European Union's two biggest policy-making institutions have banned TikTok from staff phones, while the U.S. Senate in December passed a bill to bar federal employees from using the app on government-owned devices.

The investigation also adds another potential thorn in Sino-Canadian relations which have been tense for various reasons, including recent accusations by Ottawa that China has tried to influence its elections and that it has been running air and maritime surveillance activities.

(With inputs from agencies)

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