© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) speaks with reporters before his swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol in Washington, US, June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron B.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Montana Governor Greg Gianforte on Wednesday signed legislation to ban Chinese-owned short-video app TikTok from operating in the state.
The legislation makes Montana the first state to ban TikTok and ban mobile app stores from offering TikTok within the state.
TikTok did not immediately comment. The short video app can be downloaded from the Apple Inc (NASDAQ:) app stores and Google devices. Google is a unit of Alphabet (NASDAQ:) Inc.
TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is facing growing calls from some US lawmakers to ban the app across the country over concerns about the Chinese government’s potential influence on the platform.
Gianforte also banned the use of all social media apps that collect and provide personal information or data to foreign adversaries on government-issued devices.