TikTok must end business in Canada but app will stay available, Ottawa says – National [Video]

The federal government is ordering TikTok to end its business interests in Canada following a national security review, but will still allow Canadians to use the popular social media app.

The decision announced by Innovation and Science Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Wednesday comes after a lengthy review into security concerns over the app and its Chinese owner ByteDance.

“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” Champagne said in a statement.

“The government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content,” the minister added. “The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice.”

The statement did not give a timeline for when TikTok would need to “wind up” its business in Canada. The company operates multiple offices in Toronto and Vancouver but its footprint …