Montana has become the first US state to ban TikTok on personal devices
The governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, signed legislation prohibiting mobile application stores from offering the app within the state by next year
The ban will take effect on January 1, 2024, and will make it unlawful for Google and Apple's app stores to offer TikTok within the state
Individuals using the app will not face any penalties
Montana's governor said the bill will further “our shared priority to protect Montanans from Chinese Communist Party surveillance"
TikTok has previously denied that it has ever shared data with the Chinese government and has said the company would not do so if asked
TikTok said in a statement that the Montana bill “infringes on the first amendment rights of the people of Montana by unlawfully banning TikTok”, and that the company intends to “defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana”
TikTok and app stores that host it could face fines if they violate the ban.
The ban could be challenged in court, and a legal battle is expected