The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of popular video app TikTok in September 2023 but did not disclose it publicly.

B次元官网网址淭his is still an ongoing case. We canB次元官网网址檛 comment further because of the confidentiality provisions of the Investment Canada Act,B次元官网网址� a spokesperson for Industry Minister Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne said.

B次元官网网址淥ur government has never hesitated to (take) action, when necessary, if a case under review is found to be injurious to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national security.B次元官网网址�

The revelation comes after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.

Asked whether the Canadian government would consider a measure similar to the U.S. bill, ChampagneB次元官网网址檚 office said that the Liberal cabinet B次元官网网址渋ssued an order for the national security review of TikTok CanadaB次元官网网址� on Sept. 6.

It said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.

The office said the cabinet order was not accessible online, as is routine, because the information is protected and confidential under the Investment Canada Act.

It indicated TikTok would be subject to B次元官网网址渆nhanced scrutinyB次元官网网址� under the act under a new policy on foreign investments in the interactive digital media sector released by the government earlier this month.

That policy statement says B次元官网网址渉ostile state-sponsored or influenced actors may seek to leverage foreign investments in the interactive digital media sector to propagate disinformation or manipulate information in a manner that is injurious to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national security.B次元官网网址�

The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 after federal and provincial privacy commissioners launched their own investigation into the platform.

The Canadian review is not related to the proposed U.S. bill, which is driven by concerns that the companyB次元官网网址檚 current ownership structure is a national security threat.

TikTok is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.

U.S. lawmakers contend ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government, which could demand access to the data of TikTokB次元官网网址檚 U.S. consumers, given Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.

The bill must still pass the Senate, where lawmakers have indicated it will undergo a thorough review. U.S. President Joe Biden has said if Congress passes the measure, he will sign it.

Nearly 30 per cent of Canadian respondents to an October 2022 survey by Toronto Metropolitan University said they were on TikTok.

For many Canadian creators who make TikTok content, the U.S. market is paramount, said Scott Benzie, executive director of Digital First Canada. The organization advocates for digital creators, and has in the past received funding from TikTok.

B次元官网网址淚f a ban actually goes through in the U.S., Canadian careers on TikTok are over,B次元官网网址� he said.

In addition to losing audience reach, for creators who earn money through sponsorships, B次元官网网址渙bviously most of those brands want to connect with U.S. audiences, and if thatB次元官网网址檚 not a possibility then that money just goes away.B次元官网网址�

Nathan Kennedy, a personal finance content creator from Hamilton, Ont., said heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址減retty calmB次元官网网址� about the situation, noting threats to ban TikTok have been around for years.

TikTok is his biggest platform, and the majority of his audience is in the United States. He became a full-time content creator two-and-a half years ago.

B次元官网网址淵ou kind of just have to be even-keel about the whole thing B次元官网网址� I literally cannot do anything. ItB次元官网网址檚 not even in my country,B次元官网网址� he said.

He said itB次元官网网址檚 hard to believe a ban will actually happen that causes TikTok to exit the U.S.

But if the hypothetical worst-case scenario does happen, Kennedy said he would turn to other platforms.

B次元官网网址淧eople are going to be watching content. ThatB次元官网网址檚 not going to change. ItB次元官网网址檚 where they watch their content that might change over time,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to sound like IB次元官网网址檓 being very nonchalant here. But itB次元官网网址檚 one of those things that you have to accept, that itB次元官网网址檚 not your platform, itB次元官网网址檚 not your business. And you kind of have to go to where the attention is.B次元官网网址�

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