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‘A proactive and precautionary approach’: Barrie, Innisfil and Orillia ban TikTok on government-issued electronic devices

Essa and Midland considering similar action against the social-media app, Collingwood conducting risk assessment

Simcoe.com
March 17, 2023
Chris Simon

A few local municipalities say their time with TikTok is up.

Barrie, Innisfil and Orillia are joining the growing number of jurisdictions and government agencies across the country to ban the social media app on corporate-issued electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Owned by Chinese firm Bytedance, TikTok has been increasingly scrutinized in recent weeks after a review by Canada’s chief information officer determined the platform “presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security.” The Canadian government then quickly moved to block the app from being installed or used on its devices.

Barrie’s ban came into effect March 13, city spokesperson Scott LaMantia said.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the city has followed suit of the federal and provincial governments, and a growing list of municipalities, to ban TikTok from all city devices,” he said. “The city has never had a corporate presence on TikTok.”

The prohibition affects all staff and members of council, though less than 10 per cent of city-issued mobile devices had downloaded the app upon the ban's implementation. Restrictions do not, however, extend to other social-media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, LaMantia said.

On March 9, Ontario became the last of Canada’s provincial and territorial governments to instate a ban. Ottawa, Kitchener and Vaughan are among several notable Ontario municipalities to announce in recent days that TikTok will be prohibited on their government-issued devices.

Orillia used similar rationale to Barrie for its approach.

“The decision to block the TikTok application from city-issued devices is a proactive and precautionary approach to ensuring the protection of government data and networks,” Orillia chief administrative officer (CAO) Gayle Jackson said. “The city takes all concerns about data integrity very seriously.”

Innisfil spokesperson Jane Cocking noted March 15 the town “didn’t have a corporate account, but the app has been disabled on all corporate devices.”

Meanwhile, Collingwood is currently reviewing its policies and conducting a risk assessment, Wasaga Beach staff have discussed the issue and will be bringing a recommendation to council "shortly," and Essa Township says a ban will likely be implemented there “very soon.” Midland is “considering” one, too, noting the municipality’s communications department has an account but uses it infrequently.

But New Tecumseth says it won’t be prohibiting use of the app.

“Currently, we are not banning access to TikTok on town-owned devices,” communications manager Tatjana Milne said. “Our information technology services team continually monitors any direct potential cybersecurity or privacy concerns and, if deemed necessary, will take steps to protect town data and assets.”

And Adjala-Tosorontio CAO Nelson Santos says no formal discussion over restrictions has taken place within the township.

“Social-media channels have become front and centre as part of extended municipal communications and while Facebook, Twitter and to some extent Instagram have almost served as common place, TikTok has not been a part of this suite of communication tools,” he said. “TikTok has several challenges to address. It brings forward a larger discussion around social-media policy in general and ... acceptable use of (these) apps. Between both ‘social media’ and ‘appropriate use of technology’ policies, I believe we will be able to address TikTok as well as other potential apps that are not in keeping with township business.”

The Toronto Star reports experts note TikTok’s “egregious” data harvesting policies and relationship with the Chinese government as justification for bans throughout western countries. Meanwhile, TikTok suggests its data policy is in line with various other apps and that restrictions stem from rising tensions between Canada and China.

There is no evidence presented so far that government information has been accessed by TikTok, according to Canada’s Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, who announced the initial federal ban, The Star says.