Canada Allows TikTok to Continue Operations After New National Security Review

The Canadian government has decided to allow TikTok to continue its business operations in the country after completing a new national security review. The decision reverses a previous move that had ordered the shutdown of the company’s Canadian business activities in 2024.

Industry Minister Melanie Joly announced on Monday that TikTok has agreed to introduce stronger safeguards to protect the data of Canadian users. According to the government, the social media platform will implement new security gateways and privacy-enhancing technologies designed to limit and control access to user data within Canada.

As part of the agreement, TikTok will also strengthen its protections for young users. These measures align with recommendations from the federal privacy commissioner’s investigation into how the platform manages data belonging to minors and enforces age limits.

To ensure compliance with the new rules, the government will appoint an independent third-party monitor. This monitor will regularly review TikTok’s data security systems and provide reports to federal authorities about whether the company is meeting its commitments.

Joly stated that the government will use its authority under the Investment Canada Act to enforce the conditions agreed to by TikTok. She added that the decision not only addresses data protection concerns but also helps preserve Canadian jobs and ensures the company maintains a physical presence in the country. TikTok has also pledged to continue investing in Canada’s cultural and creative sectors.

In its response, TikTok highlighted the benefits the decision brings to Canadian creators and organizations that use the platform. The company said more than 16 million Canadians visit TikTok every month and that maintaining its operations will help support the country’s growing community of digital creators.

The platform also said the new security framework will create what it described as a “highly secure barrier” around Canadian user data.

The latest decision marks a shift from the Canadian government’s earlier stance. In 2024, Ottawa ordered TikTok to wind down its Canadian business operations after an initial national security review, though Canadians were still allowed to access and use the app.

Concerns surrounding TikTok have largely centered on its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Critics have pointed to Chinese national security laws that could potentially require companies to share information with the government, raising fears about the privacy of user data.

TikTok challenged the shutdown order in federal court, and the court overturned the decision in January this year. Following the ruling, both the government and TikTok agreed to set aside the original order and begin a fresh national security review.

The new agreement also comes amid broader diplomatic and economic discussions between Canada and China. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently visited China and secured a deal that reduced Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural products while allowing greater access for Chinese electric vehicles to the Canadian market.

Despite the latest decision, privacy concerns remain under scrutiny. Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner confirmed earlier this year that it is reviewing recent changes to TikTok’s privacy policy.

In an update released on January 22, the company explained that it may collect additional types of information from users, including more detailed location data. The policy also notes that, where permitted by local laws, TikTok could collect information related to sensitive categories such as sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, or immigration status.

Canadian officials say monitoring will continue to ensure that user privacy and the safety of children online remain protected as TikTok resumes full operations in the country.