While the US was taking strict actions against Chinese app TikTok and banning the use of it, Canada was watching. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had then said, “we are watching what the Americans are doing.” And mind that, the liberals were just watching because they still continue to fund the corrupt Chinese application to serve its own political purpose.
While in nearly every country TikTok has been kissed goodbye by the governments, Canada is actively enriching the platform. A recent report suggests, last year, the Trudeau government spent $21 million on advertising on platforms like TikTok.
Federal casket for social media giants
These days, as Canadians scroll through the app, they can notice themselves being subjected to a post that was promoted by the government. Now, this simply implies where the poor Canadian taxpayer’s money is going. The $21 million spent last year, up from $7.8 million in 2017, is the peak of a long upward trend. The Government of Canada specifically spent $1.7 million on advertising on TikTok in 2022, a 128 percent increase from the year before.
The application received a goodbye from nearly every country including the US owing to national security concerns regarding the Chinese-owned app but the Canadian government still keeps comforting it by heavily spending on the platform.
The $21 million in advertising expenditures made by the government last year included TikTok as well as Facebook/Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
In comparison to the approximately $20 million it spent in the 2020–21 fiscal year, that is only a slight rise. However, in the fiscal year prior to that, 2019–2020, that amount was only $8.6 million. The amount spent by the government on social media more than doubled in a single year.
But the main question arises here is why now? It’s well known that elections in Canada are around the corner and the current political turmoil in the country has raised the alarms of Liberal party’s demise. Influencing Canadian’s thoughts by controlling the content online has now become the government’s ulterior motive.
While these platforms should necessarily be places for the government and politicians to engage with the public, they are more of a sort using social media as endorsement platforms. The liberals are spending advertising dollars on apps such as TikTok which also raises questions on the government’s choice of the platform.
Reality of TikTok
Politicians should promise to refrain from aiding these platforms using government money. As these platforms especially TikTok poison the minds of the youth in the western countries. The kids and teenagers in the western countries are specifically targeted with arousing content which engages the youth in an ill manner. On the other hand teenagers and kids in countries like China are shown motivational and inspiring content such as someone passing their graduation or someone becoming a doctor and achieving something in life so that the youth of the country is inspired to achieve and be career focused. Seeing this the government should atleast restrict the funding of these companies if it doesn’t have the courage to ban them.
But it seems strange how the government is ignoring even its prime duties. The healthcare system is ailing. The airlines and the education system are on the verge of collapse. Normal Canadian household is struggling to purchase expensive groceries. People are finding it hard to afford the rent of pricey Canadian properties and where does the casket of federal money go? Surprisingly to a corrupt Chinese-owned app.
