TikTok Challenges Canada’s National Security Ban as ’Outdated’

TikTok is pushing back against Canada's ban on the app, calling the order "outdated and counterproductive" in a July 2 letter from CEO Shou Zi Chew to the government. The directive, issued under a previous administration, followed a national security review under the Investment Canada Act but lacks evidence of tangible threats, according to the company.

Chew proposed alternatives such as enhanced data-security protocols, transparency measures, and third-party oversight to address Ottawa's concerns. The ban stems from fears over Chinese laws that could compel parent company ByteDance Ltd. to assist in intelligence gathering—a claim TikTok disputes as unsubstantiated.

Despite a November 2023 order to dismantle its Canadian subsidiary, the app remains operational. The standoff highlights escalating tensions between tech platforms and governments over data sovereignty, with TikTok framing its case as a misalignment between policy and current technological realities.