Canada is set to ban the Chinese social media app TikTok from all government-issued devices starting on Tuesday, according to reports. This move was made by the country's chief information officer in order to safeguard government information, following an internal review that revealed TikTok's data collection methods may leave users vulnerable to cyber attacks.

This decision follows a similar ban imposed by the European Commission and highlights the mounting concerns surrounding TikTok's proximity to the Chinese government and its handling of user data across the globe.

In addition, federal and provincial privacy regulators in Canada are conducting a joint investigation into the app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance Ltd, over concerns regarding its collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.

Neither TikTok nor Canada's Treasury Board, which includes the office of the country's chief information officer, have commented on the matter at this time.

This action by Canada could potentially strain Sino-Canadian relations further, which have been tense in recent years due to a variety of issues, including allegations by Ottawa that China has attempted to interfere in its elections and conduct air and maritime surveillance activities.

Beijing has denied these allegations and has called for Ottawa to stop what it describes as unjustified speculation and smear campaigns.

Also read: Two more US states have banned TikTok from government devices — Here's why