When will TikTok’s time be up?

Most Canadians are concerned about their online safety and privacy—and they don’t trust social media companies to protect them or their personal information. That’s according to a 2023 study based on public opinion research prepared for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada by Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. The federal government doesn’t trust certain social media companies, either, and, in September 2023, the Liberals quietly ordered a national security review of the popular video platform, TikTok. This review comes ahead of the minister of innovation, science and industry and the minister of Canadian heritage’s announcement about new policies relating to foreign investment as part of the recent amendment to the Investment Canada Act this past March. TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company ByteDance Ltd., and is widely popular around the world, especially in the United States and among younger users. According to a study commissioned by TikTok, the company contributed US$24.2-billion in GDP in the U.S. in 2023. The company frequently boasts that its platform contributes to economic growth and jobs, builds communities, and brings awareness to social movements. TikTok’s popularity and rising security concerns are more than just about interactive video creation and engagement. The social media platform’s collection of vast amounts of user data, paired with the ability to facilitate participation in politics, information sharing, and conversations about power have raised national security concerns in many countries. Among these concerns is the association between ByteDance Ltd. and the Chinese government, and by extension the possible interference by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). To date, there is no publicly available evidence of CCP interference. Classified intelligence data was made available to U.S. Senators in a briefing, and before the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (‘TikTok Ban’) in April. The bill prohibits ‘foreign adversaries’ from controlling applications, and requires them to sell or face restrictions. TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew told the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee that ByteDance Ltd. is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government because it is a private entity. Many security experts and pundits alike have questioned the links between the CCP and the firm, especially the political power that the party can exercise over Chinese companies. Although TikTok and, by extension, ByteDance Ltd. are not owned by the Chinese government, the company may act to support their current investors and in alignment with the demands of political powers in the People’s Republic of China. Yet, there are other immediate security and privacy concerns relating to the platform including data protection, storage, and security, the possibility of malware through app updates, among other issues. TikTok—like many social media apps—collects sensitive data on users, such as location, contacts, demographic information, and biometric identifiers. When compiled together, this data can present a user profile and other sensitive information for trading, espionage, or other nefarious purposes. In this regard, it makes sense that the TikTok app was banned from government devices in Canada in 2023. To be clear, there are certain risks that this technology poses through its connection to a Chinese company, and these risks are compounded with the bigger issues surrounding social media platforms. Like semiconductors and quantum technologies, national security concerns about TikTok are often tied up in U.S.-China economic rivalry, great power strategic competition, and the geopolitics of technology. It is important not to lose sight of the bigger picture that the TikTok case brings to the forefront: the complex political-economic-social relationships between private companies—whether foreign-owned or not—governments, and our data. Many other social media businesses collect massive amounts of data, have weak security, contribute to the economy, use algorithms and other technologies to amplify or remove content, and can be used to influence public perceptions about issues in society. The difference in the TikTok case is that currently it is an economic powerhouse with global reach. We need more accountability and transparency for not only TikTok, but also other social media companies that are designed to draw our attention, our money, communicate information to millions of people, and use our data to create and sell more products. If Canadians are overwhelmingly concerned about their digital privacy and security, and don’t trust social media companies to protect them and their data, then a national security review, foreign investment acts, and any future Parliamentary or Senate studies or reports must ensure that steps are taken to protect Canadian data. This protection may mean increased transparency about data collection, use, and flow, accountability thorough external third-party review, and give Canadians a real choice about what, where, when, and how their data is used. Kristen Csenkey is a PhD candidate at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, Ont. She studies cyber governance and the management of emerging technologies. The Hill Times