WeChat Deemed a Security Risk in Canada, Banned on Government Devices

Canada banned WeChat on government-issued phones on Monday, roughly two years after the Biden administration lifted American bans on the Chinese “everything” app. The Chief Information Officer of Canada says WeChat presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security, in a press release.

WeChat, as well as a Russian antivirus program Kaspersky, were removed from all Canadian officials’ mobile devices on Monday. The Treasury Board of Canada says WeChat’s data collection methods provide considerable access to the device’s content. There is no evidence that government information has been compromised, and the public is still free to use WeChat.

“We are taking a risk-based approach to cyber security by removing access to these applications on government mobile devices,” said Canada’s President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand in a press release Monday. “The Government of Canada continuously works to safeguard our information systems and networks to ensure the privacy and protection of government information.”

China’s foreign ministry responded to the ban saying Canada’s ban lacks real evidence, according to Reuters. “We hope that the Canadian side will discard ideological prejudices,” said spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a press briefing Tuesday.

Canada indirectly suggests its citizens should not use apps like WeChat, by only recommending the use of apps that store data in jurisdictions with privacy protection laws equal to Canada. Apps based in China such as WeChat and TikTok have more ambiguous security laws and do not meet this recommendation.

Canada banned TikTok in February, citing concerns around China’s access to information from the app.

Former President Donald Trump signed executive orders in 2020 to ban WeChat and TikTok in U.S. app stores. The bans faced numerous delays and were ultimately lifted by Joe Biden in 2021. However, Biden launched national security reviews of Chinese apps by the Commerce Department. Several American states have bans on TikTok and WeChat on government-issued devices, such as North Carolina and Ohio.