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Montana legislators pass bill banning TikTok from operating in state Montana legislators pass bill banning TikTok from operating in state
(about 16 hours later)
Measure against popular app now awaits signature of Republican governor but is expected to face legal challengesMeasure against popular app now awaits signature of Republican governor but is expected to face legal challenges
Montana lawmakers gave final passage on Friday to a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that is bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers have envisioned.Montana lawmakers gave final passage on Friday to a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that is bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers have envisioned.
The measure now goes to the Republican governor, Greg Gianforte, for his consideration.The measure now goes to the Republican governor, Greg Gianforte, for his consideration.
The state house voted 54-43 to pass the bill, which goes further than prohibitions in place in nearly half the states and the USfederal government that prohibit TikTok on government devices. Montana already bans the app on state-owned devices. The state house voted 54-43 to pass the bill, which goes further than prohibitions in place in nearly half the states and the US federal government that prohibit TikTok on government devices. Montana already bans the app on state-owned devices.
A TikTok spokesperson, Brooke Oberwetter, said in a statement: “We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and first amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach.”A TikTok spokesperson, Brooke Oberwetter, said in a statement: “We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and first amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach.”
The bill’s supporters “have admitted that they have no feasible plan for operationalizing this attempt to censor American voices and that the bill’s constitutionality will be decided by the courts”, Oberwetter said.The bill’s supporters “have admitted that they have no feasible plan for operationalizing this attempt to censor American voices and that the bill’s constitutionality will be decided by the courts”, Oberwetter said.
TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny over concerns it could hand over user data to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on the platform. Leaders at the FBI, CIA and numerous lawmakers of both parties have raised those concerns but have not presented any evidence that it has happened.TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny over concerns it could hand over user data to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on the platform. Leaders at the FBI, CIA and numerous lawmakers of both parties have raised those concerns but have not presented any evidence that it has happened.
Supporters of a ban point to two Chinese laws that compel companies in the country to cooperate with the government on state intelligence work.Supporters of a ban point to two Chinese laws that compel companies in the country to cooperate with the government on state intelligence work.
TikTok has said its servers containing information on US users are in Texas.TikTok has said its servers containing information on US users are in Texas.