TikTok's Possible Shutdown in Canada Could Hinder Local Content Creators' International Influence
The Canadian government's decision to close TikTok Canada in November 2024 has sent ripples through the country's creative industry. The move, following a national security review, has raised concerns about the future of Canadian artists and small businesses, as well as the nation's cultural ecosystem.
The closure disproportionately affects artists and small businesses, many of whom lack alternative platforms with TikTok's reach. Without localised marketing support provided by TikTok Canada, Canadian businesses, including global retailers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), face disruption.
The absence of TikTok Canada's operational support also means that Canadian musicians and creators fear losing visibility against their U.S. counterparts. This fear is compounded by the expected shift in ad spend towards Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, which risks fragmenting strategies and eroding the efficiency TikTok once offered.
TikTok Canada played an active role in championing Canadian culture, particularly music. Artists like bbno$ and The Beaches received career-defining visibility boosts from the platform. The loss of TikTok's presence in Canada strips the platform of its legal and operational presence, potentially deepening inequities in Canada's cultural ecosystem.
The impact extends beyond individuals. TikTok was a major sponsor of Canadian cultural institutions such as the Juno Awards, the Toronto International Film Festival, MusiCounts, and the National Screen Institute's Indigenous Creator Accelerator. In the absence of TikTok Canada's operational support, these institutions may struggle to maintain their reach and impact.
Indigenous creator James Jones and advocate Vanessa Brousseau have voiced concern about the potential silencing of minority creators in a global algorithm. For Indigenous and BIPOC artists, who often faced systemic barriers in traditional media channels, these programs represented a rare opportunity to gain visibility, funding, and mentorship.
Brands also lose localised campaign support and advocacy, which could potentially weaken their visibility and bargaining power in the TikTok market. In the face of these challenges, creators face hard choices: relocate to the U.S., diversify onto platforms like YouTube and Instagram, or accept reduced visibility.
Security experts argue that the closure reduces TikTok's ability to influence Canadian policy or misuse data through domestic channels. However, the shutdown underscores tensions between protecting national security and sustaining Canada's digital economy. The closure raises risks of diminished visibility for Canadian creators in TikTok's global strategy, as they will no longer have localised campaign support.
Without TikTok's presence, brands lose insight into Canadian audience behaviour and advocates to secure visibility in campaigns tailored to regional markets. Brands will need to adapt by rebalancing their social strategies and possibly reallocating budget away from TikTok entirely.
As the dust settles, it is clear that the closure of TikTok Canada has far-reaching implications for the Canadian creative economy and cultural landscape. The industry will need to adapt and evolve in response to this significant shift.
