ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Technews devider Canada bans WeChat and Kaspersky on government devices, Philippines eyes restrictions on TikTok

Canada bans WeChat and Kaspersky on government devices, Philippines eyes restrictions on TikTok

With an immediate ban, the Canadian government prioritizes digital safety, National Security Council of the Philippines to scrutinize TikTok use

Published Oct 31, 2023 02:26 am

At A Glance

  • The Canadian government has swiftly enacted a ban on the use of WeChat and Kaspersky software on all government devices, reflecting an urgent response to potential cybersecurity threats.
  • This prohibition follows comprehensive reviews by Canadian cybersecurity and intelligence agencies, which recommended these measures to protect the country's information and communication technologies.
  • The ban is rooted in concerns about the applications' alleged ties to their respective home governments—China and Russia—and the risks they could pose to national security through potential espionage and data vulnerability.
  • Canada's move underscores a broader international trend of countries evaluating foreign-owned technology on security grounds and highlights the importance of collaboration with allies to address cyber threats.
  • Mirroring global apprehensions, the Philippines' National Security Council is considering imposing restrictions on TikTok usage among its government security personnel due to cyberespionage and influence operations, which illustrates the growing scrutiny of social media platforms on security grounds globally.

In a move to tighten national security, Canada has officially prohibited the use of WeChat and Kaspersky software on all government devices. This directive, which took immediate effect, was declared by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat on Saturday. The federal government has begun a comprehensive review of its cybersecurity strategies to safeguard its information and communication technologies further.

WeChat, a widely-used messaging and social networking application developed by the Chinese conglomerate Tencent, and Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity firm known for its antivirus programs, have both been embroiled in controversies over allegations of ties to their home governments. The Canadian authorities, acting on recommendations from its intelligence and security bodies, have not disclosed explicit reasons for the ban but acknowledge the ongoing threats in cyberspace and the importance of collaboration with international allies to combat these.

Simultaneously, the Philippines' National Security Council has signaled potential restrictions on TikTok usage among government security personnel. Echoing concerns similar to those of the United States, Canada, and India, the NSC cited apprehensions over cyberespionage and influence operations as a basis for its deliberation. Despite ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, refuting claims of compulsory data sharing with the Chinese government, several countries remain wary.

There are several factors that the Philippine government will need to consider before deciding whether or not to ban TikTok. On the one hand, the government has a responsibility to protect its national security and the privacy of its citizens. On the other hand, TikTok is a popular app with millions of users in the Philippines, and a ban could have a significant impact on the country's digital economy.

The Philippine government will also need to weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks of a TikTok ban against the availability of alternatives. There are several other social media apps that are available to Filipinos, such as Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter). These apps also have security risks, including data leaks in the past.

The cases in Canada and the Philippines highlight a growing trend of nations scrutinizing and taking action against foreign-owned applications over concerns about digital sovereignty and the protection of national security in an increasingly interconnected world. The outcomes of such actions are closely watched as they have significant implications for global digital policy and the operation of tech companies across international borders.

ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.