OTTAWA — The Canadian Security Intelligence Service won’t specify the advice it gave the federal government before Ottawa decided to allow TikTok to keep its Canadian operations.
But the spy agency says Canadians should be cautious about their online presence.
The Liberal government said Monday it will allow TikTok to continue operating in Canada now that it has more security guarantees from the social media company to protect Canadians’ data.
The government said the decision followed an assessment that included advice from Canada’s security and intelligence community.
A spokesperson for CSIS didn’t respond directly when asked what advice the service gave to the government, or what needs to be in place to ensure Canada’s national security.
But in a media statement, the agency said it encourages Canadians to proceed cautiously online and to do their own research on data collection before joining new social media platforms.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2026.
— With files from Jim Bronskill
Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press
