Trudeau won't comment on future of TikTok in U.S., says Canadian safety a priority

PM tight-lipped on TikTok

Photo: The Canadian Press

The TikTok Inc. logo is seen on their building in Culver City, Calif., Monday, March 11, 2024. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's not going to comment on the future of TikTok in the United States, but says his own government will continue to look out for the security of Canadians. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Damian Dovarganes

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's not going to comment on the future of TikTok in the United States, but his own government will continue to look out for Canadians' security.

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that would force TikTok's parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, to sell the social-media app within the year or face an American ban. 

The proposed ban was slipped into a multi-billion dollar aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

Trudeau says when it comes to TikTok, the security, privacy and data protection of Canadians needs to come first. 

The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok last September, and the app has been banned from federal government devices. 

Western governments have expressed concerns that the popular platform could put sensitive data in the hands of China's government or be used as a misinformation tool.

Chinese law says the government in Beijing can order companies to help it gather intelligence.