On the 21st, the Canadian Federal Court ruled to overturn the government's order to shut down TikTok's Canadian operations, allowing the short video app to temporarily continue operating, and ordered Ottawa to re-examine the related case.
In November 2024, the Canadian Ministry of Industry, citing national security risks, ordered the dissolution of TikTok's business in Canada, but emphasized that the government did not prevent users from accessing the app nor restrict content creation. TikTok stated that the platform has more than 14 million monthly active users in Canada and filed an appeal against the decision.
According to Bloomberg and other foreign media reports, Federal Court Judge Zinn on Wednesday lifted the aforementioned order and sent the case back to Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne for reconsideration, without specifying the reasons.
In a statement, TikTok welcomed the ruling and said it looks forward to working with Champagne to reach a solution on related issues. The statement noted that retaining the Canada team will help pave a path forward and continue supporting millions of dollars in investment and hundreds of local jobs.
Michael Geist, a professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law, said on social platform X that this move means the government has hit the "reset button" on the previous ban.
For a long time, TikTok has attracted attention in Canada and other countries, with concerns that China might use the app to collect user data or advance its own interests. In September last year, an investigation found that TikTok's measures to prevent minors from using the app and to protect personal information were insufficient. The company then agreed to strengthen related safeguards to prevent children from accessing TikTok's Canadian website and app.