Canada bans Chinese and Russian software from government-issued devices

Canada banned Chinese messaging application WeChat and Russian antivirus program by Kaspersky on government-issued mobile devices due to privacy and security risks.

The ban was announced in a public statement by the Treasury Board of Canada, which oversees public administration, after an assessment by Canada’s chief information officer. The statement explains that both WeChat and applications made by Moscow-based Kaspersky ‘present an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security’. However, China’s foreign ministry declared that the Canadian government had banned Chinese enterprises without real evidence under the guise of maintaining data security. It said the ban abused national power and unreasonably suppressed the behaviour of enterprises in specific countries. Kaspersky stated they were surprised and disappointed about the announcement. They also added that the decision was made without a warning or an opportunity for the firm to address the government’s concerns.

Why does it matter?

This measure is issued in the context of a broader geopolitical debate. Western governments have security concerns about the fair use of the apps and meta-data by Governments, and Russia and China claim that Western countries are weaponizing international security rather than making a comprehensive evaluation of the products and services they ban. In February, Canada banned TikTok, the short-video app owned by Chinese company Bytedance, from government-issued devices due to similar concerns.