OTTAWA — The potential sale of social media platform TikTok to Microsoft is leaving Canada with a sense of deja vu.
Experts say the country is once again being pressured to take sides in a debate about digital technology that seems driven more by politics than by policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump is effectively forcing the sale of the Chinese-owned TikTok, citing national-security concerns.
Microsoft has emerged as a potential buyer for the popular video-sharing app, seeking to buy its presence in the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Michael Geist, an expert in internet law from the University of Ottawa, says the issue feels like a replay of the debate over whether to allow Huawei technology into Canada’s 5G network.
He says Canada is once again uncomfortably pressured to take sides in the emerging global digital tech battle and may try to not get too involved in the TikTok talks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2020.
The Canadian Press
