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Trudeau government bans TikTok from operating in Canada

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tiktok-canada-review-1.7375965
277empressplay | | 160 | HN
not2b | parent | next
Instead of the laser focus on TikTok as a threat, it would be better for the US and Canada to have real data protection laws that would apply equally to TikTok, Meta, Google, Apple, and X. What the EU has done is far from perfect but it bans the worst practices. The Chinese can buy all of the information they want on Americans and Canadians from ad brokers, who will happily sell them everything they need to track individuals' locations.

Perhaps the way to get anti-regulation politicians on board with this is for someone to do what was done to Robert Bork and legally disclose lots of personal info on members of Congress/Parliament, obtained from data brokers and de-anonymized.

imgabe | parent | next
It is not about the data. It’s about a foreign government controlling the algorithm that decides what millions of people see, and their ability to shape public opinion through that.

Like imagine if China owned CNN and the New York Times and decided what stories they could publish.

bhouston | root | parent | next
> Like imagine if China owned CNN and the New York Times and decided what stories they could publish.

It is happening on our local platforms here. Meta, based in the US, is systematically censoring Palestinian content that would otherwise be available here in Canada.

Details:

* https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/12/21/metas-broken-promises/...

* https://theintercept.com/2024/10/21/instagram-israel-palesti...

For a very recent example, one of the few remaining prominent Palestinian journalists, with a following of over 1M on Meta, was banned today:

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/11/7/al-jaze...

epolanski | root | parent
Didn't you read the memo from the government?

Israelis can do whatever they please and kill hundreds of people everyday, they literally destroyed 8 buildings full of people with many children to kill a single Hezbollah leader.

But how can I be surprised when more than a decade ago the same things where happening on US hands towards Iraqis or whatever. Drone kills 200 people in a market? Yeah but an Al Qaeda operative was there buying spices, so worth it.

We became numb to those tragedies. In particular when violence and death is happening by drones and bombs rather than someone pointing their rifle at you, it seems like it makes it less violent when I find it absurdly evil, cold and detached.

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kaliqt | root | parent | next
As opposed to the domestic government controlling the algorithm that decides what millions of people see, and their ability to shape public opinion through that.
macNchz | root | parent | next
If you live in a democracy you have a vote and a voice to bring to the table. It’s wild to me that on this topic people seem to see their own governments as largely equivalent to an outwardly adversarial if not explicitly hostile foreign power.

I think it has been so long since the Pax-Americana West has dealt with an overtly hostile major power that we’ve collectively lost the concept that there can be real enemies with goals that run explicitly counter to our own.

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umanwizard | root | parent
The US political system is very undemocratic and most of us Americans have no more means of influencing it than we do China's.
macNchz | root | parent | next
I have plenty of beef with the American political system, but a loud group of motivated Americans absolutely has the ability to influence government decisions. If you, a citizen, decided you really cared about something, and gathered your like-minded fellow citizens to amplify your voice, you have a real chance at making an impact. That cannot be said in any way, shape, or form for a foreign power.
adamsb6 | root | parent
Lots of things change in China because people make a big stink about it. Probably the most notable are the lockdown protests, but there are countless examples of someone complaining about bad local governance and the national government coming in to fix it.

Chinese social media is pretty vibrant with the exception that you can’t agitate for the fall of the government.

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Synaesthesia | root | parent
But what is out there on TikTok that's so dangerous to the state? Dance videos?
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kelseyfrog | root | parent
The clearest way to look at this is through the lens of Althusser's Ideological State Apparatus(ISK). Media is one of the arms of the ISK. It's not necessarily that TikTok is foreign owned, it's that China's dominant ideology is incompatible with the western hegemony. The western ISK sees alternative ideologies as a threat and control over the arm of mass media is a concrete form of that threat. The ISK must have control over dominant forms of media in order to maintain ideological hegemony.
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cool_dude85 | root | parent | next
Let's take this one step further, then, and ask why we should allow private media ownership if it's this important. Why should some malevolent billionaire be able to own CNN or NYT and decide what stories they could publish? Does it matter if the billionaire has a US passport or not?
jvanderbot | root | parent | next
I really don't see why there's this cognitive dissonance. Limiting enemy states' government broadcasting power inside your territory is pretty low on the controversial things a gov can do.
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nextworddev | parent | next
Safe to assume China already bought most of what’s available, but why give them additional video tokens / training data
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joshdavham | parent | next
> "Most people can say, 'Why is it a big deal for a teenager now to have their data [on TikTok]?' Well in five years, in 10 years, that teenager will be a young adult, will be engaged in different activities around the world,"

I’m technically Gen-Z (but just barely) and this is something that really worries me. It’s become increasingly normal in recent times to share absolutely everything online but I’ve got a pretty grim feeling that this isn’t gonna end well. People don’t realize that the AI’s being trained on your data today will act as an internet history that you can never delete.

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strongpigeon | parent | next
To be clear, they're not banning the app, they're banning ByteDance from having offices in Canada
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paxys | parent | next
If there are actual "national security concerns", they should rule that TikTok data of Canadian citizens needs to be stored within Canadian borders and can only be accessed by Canadian employees. This ban (removing the company's presence from the country while keeping the app active) ensures the exact opposite.
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aaomidi | parent
They're angry that TikTok made people aware of the atrocities their governments are supporting across the world.

This has also been the catalyst behind the ban of TikTok in the US.

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blobbers | parent | next
This is quite possibly the stupidest ban I've ever heard.

They should insist that the data doesn't leave their borders; this is the opposite of a ban. They're insisting on having all their user data leave.

Government being stupid. Imagine that.

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486sx33 | parent | next
This might be related to CANCON rules. If TikTok can’t have Canadian offices then they can’t qualify for Canadian content.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_content

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amarcheschi | parent | next
If you're wondering how bad the situation is regarding young men perception of reality, take a look at genz reddit and at the hottest post of SubredditDrama (the one that talks about genz reddit). On one hand, we should do something at a societal level to prevent young guys go into the red pill rabbit hole. On the other hand, TikTok being banned is a big deal, and I can't say whether it will pay off or not, but sure as hell I hope it does

Edit

On a second read (it's been a long day) they're closing offices but not banning the app, my comment is worthless. But feel free to check out the genz subreddit and get appalled but what's being said there

jt2190 | parent | next
> Citing national security concerns, the federal government has ordered TikTok to shutter its Canadian operations — but [Canadian] users will still be able to access the popular video app.
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uncomputation | parent | next
“Bans ByteDance” might be better wording.
tempest_ | parent | next
> "It is important for Canadians to adopt good cyber security practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country's laws apply."

I am sure that Canadians will totally do this.

maxglute | parent | next
Anything to read into the timing?
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rkagerer | parent | next
Canadian here. Disappointed by the lack of transparency. First, no corporation should be unilaterally shut down without a clear explanation provided, including facts & evidence (which would normally come to light during due process).

Second, if the company is as dangerous as they say, they are doing a huge disservice to citizens by withholding that information and handicapping our ability to make an informed choice about using the app.

Pushing their operations out of Canada also reduces their accountability footprint to subsequent lawsuits or legislation.

This is a weird half-measure and I have trouble making sense of it.

ta8645 | parent | next
This seems like political theatre. Recently, Trudeau claimed that he has direct evidence against members of the opposition party engaged in "foreign interference" with China[1] There are also allegations by others that members of his own party have also been implicated. And yet he refuses to release the names, or elaborate on any of these allegations for the public.

Essentially, he's using China to distract from his own policy failings at home.

[1] https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/trudeau-says-he-has-list-of-...

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theyknowitsxmas | parent | next
I don't condone ByteDance but Champagne is a straight up crook you only get in communist countries.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WXlhKSC2EOU

In 2019, Telesat was a satellite company that owned 0 satellites. Telesat was "Lent" $1.5 Billion by Canada (thru Champagne) interest free for 5 years. They claimed they would provide internet and national security enhancements to the north via satellite by 2024.

2021: another $1.5 billion injection of cash.

The Government spent over $5 billion.

2024, five years later, they have 0 satellites and produce 0 internet for the north. They are loaned an additional $2.54 billion. They claimed the new loan supersedes the first loan. They are combined.

A company that produces nothing is being injected with large sums of money, which artificially spikes the company's stock price. The CEO just happens to own like 800 000 shares.

Mr. Goldberg has reportedly made over $21 million off of these shares in those 5 years.

Each infusion of government cash has caused this stock to spike. Keep an eye on this stock price.

This is a satellite company that owns 0 satellites. They have provided 0 internet to anyone.

The Canadian Government gave Telesat $2.54 billion thru Champagne.

hettygreen | parent | next
Yes, this data is for American and Canadian companies to collect and sell!
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{"deleted":true,"id":42071536,"parent":42070946,"time":1730937685,"type":"comment"}
rvz | parent | next
> "in wake of national security review of popular social media app"

Where is the outrage then?

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rogerkirkness | parent | next
Hell yeah, screw TikTok and the horse it rode in on.

(Canadian founder in unrelated domain)

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seaourfreed | parent | next
The CIA controls TikTok's censorship. Trudeau is doing this since Trump may change the US gov's censorship to no longer push a left agenda. Then political right Canadians that get censored in 2024 won't get censored in 2025 and beyond.

Therefore, surprise, surprise, Trudeau censors it now the day after the US election.

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hnpolicestate | parent
Same goes for the U.S, if citizens are banned from using an app you don't live in a democracy.
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