Montana governor signs bill banning TikTok in state
2023.05.17 18:02
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) speaks with reporters prior to a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Montana Governor Greg Gianforte on Wednesday signed legislation to ban the Chinese-owned short video app TikTok from operating in the state.
The legislation makes Montana the first state to ban TikTok and prohibit mobile application stores from offering TikTok within the state.
TikTok did not immediately comment. The short video app can be downloaded in app stores on Apple Inc (NASDAQ:) and Google devices. Google is a unit of Alphabet (NASDAQ:) Inc.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is facing growing calls from some U.S. lawmakers to ban the app nationwide over concerns about potential Chinese government influence over the platform.
Gianforte also prohibited the use of all social media applications that collect and provide personal information or data to foreign adversaries on government-issued devices.
