TIKTOK, a Chinese social media platform, appears to be in trouble after Canada announced a ban on the application on government-issued devices due to privacy and security concerns, amid rising tensions between the two countries.

The decision came after the Canadian government speculated on the risks of ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, being so close to the Chinese government. In addition, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the media that the government has been closely monitoring online threats to Canadian citizens.

"This may be the only step we need to take," he said, referring to the action against TikTok. As the government prohibits TikTok from being used on work phones,"many Canadians, businesses, and private individuals will reflect on the security of their data and may make decisions as a result," he further added.

Meanwhile, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier said, “the method of data collection provides considerable access to the contents of the phone”. "While the risks of using this application are clear, we have no evidence at this point that government information has been compromised," she added

When Will The TikTok Ban Come Into Effect:

According to the reports, the ban imposed will come into effect today. Additionally, the report also suggests that federal employees would also be prohibited from downloading the application in the coming future.

Meanwhile, the company TikTok, on the other hand, has stated that it is disappointed by the government's decision. Surprisingly, Tiktok has been banned in the European Union, the United States, and India for similar reasons.

For those who don't know, TikTok and other apps were banned in India on June 29, 2020, due to concerns about national security. Notably, the app was the most downloaded social media app in 2019 and became popular right away after making its debut in India.

(With inputs from Reuters)