Montana lawmakers vote to ban popular social media app TikTok

The vote is likely to raise legal challenges as US politicians raise concerns about the app’s ties to China.

Montana lawmakers passed a bill to ban the popular short form tiktok video app to operate in the state, the last threat to the existence of the application in the U.S.

The bill, known as SB 419, ban mobile app stores to offer downloadable TikTok to Montana users. The Montana House of Representatives voted 54-43 to approve the ban.

TikTok, as well as Apple and Google, which operate mobile app stores, would face fines if they violate the ban if the bill becomes law. It’s unclear how the state would enforce the ban.

The bill now heads to Montana Governor Greg Gianforte for his signature.

“The governor will carefully consider any bill the legislature sends to his desk,” a spokesman for the governor’s office said.

TikTok 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.”

TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is facing growing calls from some US politicians to ban the app nationwide over concerns about the potential Chinese government influence on the platform.

Last month, a committee of the federal Congress questioned TikTok Executive Director Shou Zi Chew about whether the Chinese government could access user data or influence what Americans see on the app.

TikTok has repeatedly denied sharing data with the Chinese government and has said the company would not do so if asked.

The company is working on an initiative called texas projectwhich creates a separate entity to store US user data in the US on servers operated by technology company Oracle.