Key Points
- A Canadian federal court has overturned a government order to shut down TikTok’s Canadian operations.
- The government had ordered the shutdown in November 2024, citing national security concerns.
- TikTok appealed the decision, and the court has now sent the case back to the industry minister for review.
- The move is a victory for TikTok and a setback for the Canadian government.
A Canadian federal court has overturned a government order that would have forced TikTok to shut down its Canadian operations. The decision, handed down on Wednesday, is a major victory for the popular short-video app and a setback for the Canadian government.
In November 2024, Canada’s industry ministry ordered TikTok’s business to be dissolved, citing national security concerns. The government was worried that China could use the app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, to collect user data or to push its own political agenda.
TikTok, which has over 14 million monthly users in Canada, immediately appealed the decision.
In a brief ruling, the judge set aside the order and sent the case back to the industry minister for review. He did not provide any specific reasons for his decision.
TikTok said in a statement that it welcomed the ruling and looked forward to working with the government.
The legal battle over TikTok comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been trying to build closer ties with China. His goal is to offset the economic damage caused by U.S. tariffs.
This isn’t the first time TikTok has been in the hot seat in Canada. Last year, the company agreed to improve its safety measures after an investigation found that its efforts to keep children off the app were inadequate.
For now, TikTok can continue to operate in Canada, but the government still has the option to review the case and potentially try to shut it down again in the future.
