TikTok to Remain in Canada Under New Data Protection Rules — Here’s What That Means

It’s official: TikTok is staying in Canada.

After it was previously reported that the federal court overturned the Canadian government's order to shut down the platform, the popular social media app will continue operations in the country. The company will now operate under new data protection rules designed to fiercely protect the data of Canadian users.

The announcement was made by Canadian industry minister Mélanie Joly, who revealed that a national security review concluded that TikTok could remain, subject to enhanced data security and child safety.

“The government of Canada will exercise its full authorities under the Investment Canada Act and ensure the full implementation and enforcement of the measures committed to by TikTok Canada,” Joly says in a statement, pointing to the legislation that ensures an organization is beneficial to the economy and doesn’t harm national security.

“The decision follows a thorough assessment of the information and evidence gathered during the review process, including advice from Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” she says. “Protecting Canadians’ data and the safety of children online will always be a top priority of the government.”

Some of the enhanced protocols include implementing data restrictions and age limits for minors, and protecting Canadians’ personal information through “new security gateways and privacy-enhancing technologies to control access to Canadian user data” to reduce the risk of unauthorized use.

An independent third-party organization will regularly audit and verify TikTok’s data access controls and provide reports to the federal government.

“Further, this decision will protect Canadian jobs, ensuring that TikTok Canada maintains a physical presence in Canada, with commitments to invest in its cultural sector,” says Joly, noting that the choice to remain a functioning operation in Canada is a future investment in the country’s creators and users on the platform, which receives over 15 million monthly visitors.

The choice to remain in Canada comes two months after the federal court overturned the shutdown ruling. Federal court judge Russel Zinn set aside the order and returned the matter to Joly for review.

"Keeping TikTok's Canadian team in place will enable a path forward that continues to support millions of dollars of investment in Canada and hundreds of local jobs,” a spokesperson for the platform told CBC News.

It has been nearly three years since the government of Canada launched an inquiry into whether TikTok was a national security concern, becoming a major point of contention in the Canadian music industry.

In 2024, TikTok’s Canadian business operations were ordered to wind down, which would have closed the company’s offices in Toronto and Vancouver (though Canadians would still be able to access and use the app). TikTok vowed to fight the order, but it remained in limbo for many months.

The following year, TikTok's global CEO, Shou Zi Chew, sought a meeting with Canadian government officials, but it wasn’t a fix — the platform appeared ready to fold its Canadian operations, pulling its sponsorships from storied arts institutions including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), ADISQ and the Juno Awards last August.

As of today (March 12), those local initiatives are set to be re-instituted, according to The Hollywood Reporter — showcasing a "continued support of Canadian content creators, cultural organizations, training programs and more, with a focus on Francophone and Indigenous creators.”