Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner has initiated an inquiry into TikTok Data Collection’ data, following concerns that the platform’s owner, ByteDance, may be sharing personal information with the Chinese government. This move follows the European Commission’s decision to remove TikTok from its devices in order to safeguard against potential data breaches. TikTok has reassured its users that privacy remains a key concern for the company.
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Canadian Privacy Regulators Investigate TikTok Data Collection
Provincial privacy regulators from Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta will be joining the investigation, which has been launched in the wake of a number of lawsuits in both the United States and Canada, as well as media reports highlighting TikTok’s practices around the collection, use and disclosure of personal data. The regulators will be examining whether the platform is meeting its transparency obligations and whether its privacy practices align with Canadian legislation. Given that a significant proportion of TikTok’s users are minors, the regulators will be giving particular attention to the protection of children’s privacy.
TikTok Responds to Privacy Concerns, Says Privacy is a Top Priority
TikTok has welcomed the investigation, stating that it will provide an opportunity for the company to clarify its data protection practices. Nonetheless, the move by Canadian Privacy Regulators is part of a wider trend by governments around the world to scrutinize the Chinese-owned platform’s data handling practices, out of concerns that Beijing may be using the app to collect information about users or advance its strategic interests.
Investigation to Determine Compliance with Canadian Privacy Legislation
The Dutch government has reportedly advised public officials to avoid using TikTok, while the US federal government has already introduced a ban on the platform. However, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has resisted calls to prohibit government officials from using TikTok, despite the concerns of some Conservative Members of Parliament. The chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, is leading calls for the UK government to follow the European Commission and order staff to delete the app, in order to safeguard against potential data breaches.
TikTok has previously asserted that data on its platform is not accessible to the Chinese government.
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