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The director of Canada's Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has publicly warned citizens against using the popular social media app TikTok, citing concerns over data privacy and potential access by the Chinese government.
In an interview with CBC News, CSIS Director David Vigneault stated that China has a "very clear strategy" to collect personal information from around the world, utilizing big data analytics, vast computing resources, and artificial intelligence.
These concerns mirror those raised in the US, where Congress passed a bill in April to potentially ban TikTok unless it separates from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. TikTok has sued the US government over this legislation, arguing that the ban would be unconstitutional.
While TikTok maintains that Chinese staff cannot access US and European user data, and has implemented measures like Project Texas and Project Clover to safeguard this data, a recent report by Fortune suggests these efforts may not be as effective as claimed.
TikTok spokesperson Danielle Morgan refuted the CSIS's claims, stating that "these assertions are unsupported by evidence, and the fact is that TikTok has never shared Canadian user data with the Chinese government, nor would we if asked."
Despite TikTok's assurances, the Canadian security agency's warning adds to the growing international scrutiny surrounding the app's data practices and its potential ties to the Chinese government.
