- Geopolitics, not just technology, is discreetly rewritten that can sell cameras on Western markets
- Hikvision says it’s unfair, but closure shows that confidence is no longer automatic for Chinese companies
- The company denies reprehensible acts, but surveillance fears are now sufficient to end entire commercial operations
Canada has ordered the Chinese Hikvision surveillance giant to stop operations in the country, citing national security problems.
The ban follows an official examination carried out under the Canada Investment Act and marks a decision against foreign technology companies.
“The government has determined that continuous operations of Hikvision Canada Inc. in Canada would be damage to national security in Canada,” said Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly.
International pressure and suspicion of climbing
Hikvision, one of the world’s largest producers in surveillance cameras, has been operating in Canada since 2014.
However, its expansive global scope and its links with state -related projects in China are a long time concern for Western countries.
Although the government did not make the specific reasons for its decision public, it said that intelligence and security assessments have played a central role.
This silence is likely to fuel speculation, a bit like in previous repression on Huawei, where classified information has been used to justify large commercial restrictions.
Comparison with Huawei is not unjustified. Hikvision is now found under the same type of control which led to Huawei’s ejection of 5G infrastructure projects in the five nations.
The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have already taken measures against Hikvision, in particular on the affirmations, its cameras were used to monitor the Uighur Muslims of the Xinjiang region in China, the allegations that Beijing denies.
The FBI has also warned against malware targeting webcams, and the Western world often thinks that Chinese IoT is undoubtedly more dangerous than Tiktok, which is considered as spy software.
Unsurprisingly, Hikvision “is not in disagreement” with Canada’s decision, saying: “We think it has no factual basis, procedural equity and transparency”, the company affirms that this decision seems to be “the country of origin of the parent company”.
Geopolitical tensions continue to define a large part of the West approach to Chinese companies, decisions and Canada risk are less considered as technological judgments and more as a political posture.
Hikvision said he had fully cooperated with the authorities and submitted all the requested documents, but that did not change the result.
We do not know how many public buildings in Canada still use Hikvision devices, but Joly is committed to examining and eliminating any remaining equipment.
“I strongly urge Canadians to make this decision and make their own decisions accordingly,” she warned.
The Canadian government seems to focus on surveillance risks, and this questions the reliability of smart devices, such as webcams or parental control solutions.
While more and more houses and workplaces adopt smart cameras and surveillance tools, the line between convenience and intrusion becomes thinner.
If prohibitions become more common, suppliers may need to prove more than just a force to remain competitive.
Whether you select a home surveillance system or you are looking for the best antivirus software, hardware and software policy becomes more difficult to ignore.
Via economic times
