On Nov. 6, 2024, Canada ordered TikTok’s local offices expelled but left its influence engine untouched. The result? Fewer Canadian jobs, no new oversight, and continued foreign control over our digital public square. It makes about as much sense as banning foreign diplomats while allowing their propaganda broadcasts to continue uninterrupted.
Canada’s shutdown order, issued after a national security review, eliminates TikTok’s 350 Canadian employees and halts cultural sponsorships worth millions. Yet the algorithm that shapes what Canadians see, share, and believe remains entirely in Chinese hands. We have managed to achieve the worst of both worlds: less accountability with zero additional protection.
