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The move underscores a growing lobby against TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd, over concerns about its proximity to Beijing and storage of user data around the world.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters his government is carefully considering how to keep Canadian citizens safe online.
“This could be the first step, maybe the only step we need to take,” he said in reference to the TikTok crackdown reported by Reuters and Channel News Asia on Tuesday (2/28).
As the government bans TikTok on work phones, many Canadians, businesses and individuals will consider the security of their own data and may make choices accordingly.
“The ban will take effect from Tuesday and federal employees will also be prevented from downloading the app in the future,” according to a statement from the Treasury Board of Canada, which oversees public administration. TikTok’s data collection methods provide extensive access to phone content.
“While the risks of using these apps are clear, we have no evidence that government information has been compromised,” said Finance Council Chair Mona Fortier.
TikTok initially said it was disappointed with the decision, but later released another statement noting it was “curious” that Canada decided to block the app right after similar bans in the European Union. and in the United States.
“The ban was issued without citing specific safety issues or contacting us with questions,” a TikTok spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
The European Commission imposed a similar ban last week, while the US Senate in December passed a bill banning federal employees from using apps on government-owned devices. India banned TikTok in 2020.

Canada’s action presents another potential thorn in China-Canada relations which have been strained in recent years for a variety of reasons, most recently over accusations from Ottawa that China tried to influence its election and led aerial and maritime surveillance activities.
Beijing denies the charges and has urged Ottawa to end what it describes as baseless speculation and slander.
Ottawa has also previously barred Chinese companies from Canada’s critical minerals and telecommunications sectors, citing risks to its national security.
In November, he ordered three Chinese companies to divest their investments in critical Canadian minerals and previously banned the use of 5G equipment made by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp.
Last week, federal and three provincial privacy authorities across Canada said they were jointly investigating TikTok over concerns about the platform’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
The Treasury Board said in its statement that the decision to use a social media app or platform is a personal choice.

“The Cyber ​​Security Center Canada’s Guide to Communications Security (Cyber ​​Center) strongly recommends that Canadians understand the risks and make an informed choice before deciding which tool to use,” it said. -he declares.(PSC)