Nova Scotia bans TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices

A day after the federal government announced TikTok would be banned on all government-issued mobile devices, the government of Nova Scotia is following suit.

In a news release Tuesday evening, the province says beginning March 1, TikTok will be banned from all government-issued phones.

Nova Scotia's minister of service Nova Scotia and internal services, Colton LeBlanc, says there is "no need for the TikTok app on government-issued mobile devices."

"On March 1, the TikTok app will be removed from all government-issued mobile devices and blocked from being accessed to protect the privacy and security of government information," said LeBlanc in the news release.

According to the government release, the TikTok application's data collection methods provide substantial access to the contents of the phone, making those who have downloaded the app more vulnerable to surveillance.

The province also cites concerns about the legal regime that governs the information collection.

"There is no evidence, at this time, that foreign actors have compromised government information," read the release.

On Monday, the federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices days after federal and provincial privacy commissioners launched an investigation into the social media platform.

The decision follows a review by Canada's chief information officer, who determined that TikTok presented an "unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security."

While the ban does not go so far as to completely ban the app in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it could encourage individuals and businesses to think about the security of their own data.

The U.S. and the European Union recently banned government personnel from using TikTok on work devices.

A TikTok spokesperson said the social media company is always open to meeting with government officials to discuss how it protects the privacy of Canadians.

With files from The Canadian Press.

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