Prakhar Dobhal, Pune
After European Commission’s decision to ask its staff to remove Tik Tok from their device sighting privacy concerns. Canada’s privacy protection regulators have launched an investigation into Tik Tok’s collection of data of its users.
Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner said it had launched the probe into TikTok alongside provincial privacy regulators from Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta. “In the wake of now-settled class-action lawsuits in the United States and Canada, as well as numerous media reports related to TikTok’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information,” stated a statement issued on the probe. Responding to this Tik Tok said that privacy was its top priority. An official from the company said that the probe was an opportunity to set the record right and prove how Tik Tok protects the privacy of its users.
“The Government of Canada is assessing the situation, including the legislative announcement by our U.S. allies, and recently the European Commission, and will determine next steps as necessary,” a spokesperson for TBS said in a statement. The move comes after several allies banned the app completely or for government employees or the device issued by governments. In recent past many countries have banned the app stating security threats suspecting the app sends information back to Beijing.
Toronto Metropolitan University’s Social Media Lab conducted a survey in September and found that just 26 per cent of Canadians currently use TikTok. However, in the age group 18-24, 76% have an account on the platform.
Earlier this month in Canada, The House of Commons ethic committee had voted to study the use of private information and motive of data harvesting by social media platforms, specially Tik Tok.