TikTok’s troubles continue, and this time, it’s Canada that has something to say against the social media platform.
TikTok has been in serious problems lately due to a number of lawsuits and government investigations. TikTok has now been ordered by Canada to cease operations there. The firm and its parent company, ByteDance, are accused of posing unidentified national security dangers.
Although TikTok has not yet been outlawed by the Canadian government, it will be compelled to “wind up” all of its operations there. “The decision was based on information and evidence gathered, as well as the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community along with other government partners,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry.
The app was previously prohibited from being used on official government devices in the nation.
According to a TikTok representative, the business would contest Canada’s ruling. According to the spokesman, it is not in the best interests of anyone to close TikTok’s Canadian operations and eliminate hundreds of local employees.
However, TikTok’s current troubles aren’t just due to purported “national security risks.” Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the social networking platform in various US states, claiming that it negatively impacts the mental health of its young users.
However, the problems with TikTok are not limited to the US and Canada. As we recently reported, seven French families are now suing TikTok, claiming that the video-sharing platform is to blame for the decrease in the physical and mental health of their children.
However, TikTok is not the only platform facing criticism for its impact on teenagers. Instagram by Meta is also under investigation right now for its impact on younger users.
I believe that safeguarding our children’s mental health is crucial. Even if social media platforms have been around for a while, they are still relatively new in the broad scheme of things, therefore we must make sure they are not harmful to children, who are the most vulnerable members of our society.