The Montana House of Representatives has passed a bill that would make it illegal for the popular social media app TikTok to operate within the state. The move, which was approved on Friday, would make Montana the first state in the US to enforce a complete ban on the app. The legislation was passed with 54 votes in favor and 43 votes against.
While nearly half of the US states and the federal government have already imposed restrictions on TikTok, prohibiting its use on government-owned devices, Montana’s new legislation goes even further. Last year, Governor Greg Gianforte had already banned the use of TikTok on state government devices, citing concerns about the app posing a “significant risk” to sensitive state data.
TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese technology company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny in recent years over fears that it could share user data with the Chinese government or be used to disseminate pro-Beijing propaganda and false information. These concerns have been raised by leaders at the FBI and the CIA, as well as by lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum. However, no concrete evidence has been presented to support these claims.
The debate over TikTok’s security and reliability has been a contentious issue around the world. Some governments, such as India and Pakistan, have already banned the app outright, while others, including the UK and Australia, have imposed strict regulations on its use.
TikTok, which has become one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, allows users to create and share short videos with a global audience. The app’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, particularly among younger users, leading to concerns about its potential impact on society and the wider world.
British government ministers barred from using TikTok on security grounds.