The Canadian government told TikTok, which is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance, to close up shop in Canada on Wednesday. They're worried about national security because of the app. But, they're not telling people they can't use it or anything, just that the company can't operate there anymore. The government didn't go full ban on it, so folks can still download it and make videos if they want.
The guy in charge of stuff like this, Monsieur Champagne, said they made this call after looking at some serious info and getting advice from the big brains in Canada's spy community and other important government peeps. They've been iffy about TikTok for a while now and even stopped government workers from using it on their work phones back in February this year.
They're not trying to be party poopers, but they do want everyone to be safe online. They're just saying, "Hey, Canadians, be careful what you share on social media, especially when it comes to those apps from faraway lands."
The reason they're using this big legal hammer called the Investment Canada Act is that it lets them check out companies that might not be playing nice with Canada's security. They think that TikTok's ties to China could mean that Canadians' data isn't as private as it should be.
TikTok's not too happy about it and said they're gonna fight it in court. They're also sad because they have to close their offices in Canada, which means a lot of people will lose their jobs. But, they've had some trouble in other places too, like the U.S., where they have until 2025 to sell off TikTok or it might get banned there as well. They're fighting that one too.
TikTok keeps saying it doesn't spill the tea to the Chinese government, but some countries like Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan aren't taking any chances and have banned it completely. And let's not forget, it's a no-go on government phones in several countries. It's a bit of a mess, but everyone's just trying to keep their secrets safe.