The US state of Montana will ban the use of TikTok from next year. That made Greg Gianforte, the Governor of Montana, announced Thursday. He signed a law on Wednesday that makes offering the TikTok app in the Google and Apple app stores illegal within state borders. Montana thus becomes the first US state to ban the popular video app, which has more than 150 million US users.
With the ban, the governor says he wants to protect the privacy of his residents and prevent personal data from falling into the hands of the Chinese government. Gianforte describes TikTok as an app “linked to foreign opponents”. He said the decision is part of “our shared responsibility to protect Montana residents from surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party.”
The call to restrict the use of TikTok due to concerns about possible Chinese influence on the platform is getting louder. In recent months, American politicians have also been calling for the social media platform to be banned across the country. In March, TikTok executive Shou Zi Chew was questioned by Congress over Beijing’s possible access to user data from US users. The possible influence on the algorithms, which Americans see in the app, was also discussed. The company has consistently denied sharing data with Chinese authorities.
In an official statement, TikTok says that banning the app is a violation of freedom of expression. It will continue to defend the rights of its users “inside and outside Montana.” TikTok is expected to legally challenge the decision.
Read also: Cabinet urges government officials to remove TikTok from their work phones, is working towards a ban
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