Federal government departments have green light to advertise on TikTok despite security concerns [Video]

Federal government departments are still allowed to advertise on TikTok despite mounting security concerns about the social media platform, CBC News has learned. 

On Wednesday, the government ordered TikTok to shut down its two Canadian offices, citing “national security risks.” 

It was the latest red flag raised by government officials about the app, which is owned by a Chinese company. In May, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) suggested TikTok is a threat to users’ data security, and in February 2023, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada launched an investigation into TikTok’s privacy policies. That same month, Ottawa banned the social media platform from all government devices due to privacy and security concerns.

Nevertheless, the federal government hasn’t barred its departments from continuing to use the app to run taxpayer-funded ad campaigns. 

Ottawa’s policy has baffled some security and technology experts who say it sends a conflicting message to Canadians trying to assess if they face risks when using TikTok. 

“[Ottawa’s] suggesting that they’re …