Author: Cult MTL
Published May 17, 2024

by Lorraine Carpenter, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

TikTok has been called out by David Vigneault, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), for exposing its users’ sensitive personal data to the Chinese government. Warning Canadians against TikTok, Vigneault told CBC that “there is a very clear strategy on the part of the government of China to be able to acquire personal information from anyone around the world” — information that could be used against them now or in the future.

Vigneault added that, “as an individual” (as opposed to the director of CSIS), he “would absolutely not recommend someone have TikTok.”

A TikTok spokesperson responded: “Singling out one platform and making unsupported accusations does not make Canadians safer. We will continue to engage with Canadian officials and would welcome the opportunity to meet with CSIS to discuss how we protect the privacy and security of Canadians.”

Chinese company ByteDance currently owns the controlling stake of the social media app, a move that has drawn widespread skepticism and a political movement to ban TikTok in some countries, notably the U.S.

Asked about Vigneault’s comments today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “Canadians need to listen” to such warnings.

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