The Canadian government has decided to allow TikTok to continue operating in the country after completing a national security review, Industry Minister Melanie Joly announced on Monday. The approval comes with legally binding commitments from TikTok Canada, including enhanced safeguards for Canadian user data. The government said the decision would also help protect jobs and ensure the company maintains a physical presence in Canada while continuing to invest in the country’s cultural sector.
The move follows a legal setback for Ottawa after a federal court in January overturned a November 2024 order that required TikTok’s Canadian operations to be dissolved over national security concerns. The court instructed the government to review the case, prompting a fresh security assessment led by the industry ministry. TikTok acknowledged the new commitments and confirmed it had reached an agreement with the Canadian government that will allow its local operations to continue.
Under the new arrangement, TikTok will introduce stronger protections for Canadians’ personal data, including new security gateways and privacy-enhancing technologies to control access to user information. The platform will also strengthen protections for minors, while an independent third-party monitor will be appointed to audit and verify data access controls. The decision comes as Canada, like several other countries, continues to scrutinize TikTok due to concerns that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could potentially access user data or influence content.
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