Canada’s federal government has banned civil servants from having the Chinese app %WeChat on any government-issued electronic devices, including smartphones and computers.
WeChat is frequently called an “everything app” as it combines elements of %MetaPlatforms ($META) owned WhatsApp, Facebook, and online dating platform Tinder into one.
WeChat is one of the most widely used apps in the world and is ubiquitous in China.
However, Canada’s government says it has security concerns about the app and fears that it could be used to spy on users and steal sensitive information.
While Canadian government officials said there is no evidence that information has been compromised through WeChat, officials in the capital city of Ottawa are taking no chances.
WeChat isn’t the first Chinese app to be banned in Canada or elsewhere. Earlier this year, governments around the world banned civil servants from having the Chinese-owned TikTok app on their work phones, saying it poses a cybersecurity risk.
Some security experts say that the WeChat app poses a greater threat to government security than TikTok.
Canada’s government also announced that it is banning the Russia-based Kaspersky app from all government devices effective immediately over cybersecurity concerns.
Tencent, the Chinese company that owns WeChat, has not commented publicly on the Canadian ban.