Canada has declared its decision to prohibit the use of WeChat on government devices. WeChat, a Chinese-owned application often described as an all-encompassing platform akin to WhatsApp, Facebook, Amazon, and Tinder combined, has raised security concerns among Western governments due to apprehensions about potential user surveillance.

The BBC has reached out to Tencent, the company behind WeChat, for a statement, but no response has been received thus far. WeChat is among the most widely used applications worldwide, being omnipresent in China and enjoying popularity in Southeast Asia and among Chinese diaspora communities.

Canada's ban takes immediate effect. However, it is important to note that there is currently no evidence to suggest that government data has been compromised through the use of WeChat, as stated by Anita Anand, President of Canada's Treasury Board.

"We are taking a risk-based approach to cyber security by removing access to these applications on government mobile devices," she said.

Canada is also taking action on Russia-based Kaspersky, a cyber-security company.

Users will have the apps removed, and be blocked from downloading them in the future.

Even though TikTok has received much attention for potential security risks, many security experts believe WeChat poses a greater threat. It receives less focus because it is not used as much as TikTok by government employees in North America.

Former US president Donald Trump tried to ban the app in 2020 by executive order but it was blocked by an injunction.

Noted