First statewide TikTok ban in US signed into law

 The Governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte is set to become the first US state to ban Chinese-owned media giant TikTok from personal devices.

Governor Greg Gianforte signed the ban into law on Wednesday.

It is due to take effect on 1 January.

The video-sharing platform says the ban “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana”.

TikTok has come under scrutiny from authorities around the world over concerns that data could be passed to the Chinese government.

Mr Gianforte, a Republican, told lawmakers that a wider ban would further “our shared priority to protect Montanans from Chinese Communist Party surveillance.”

TikTok said in a statement that it was used by “hundreds of thousands of people” in Montana.

“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” it added.

TikTok is expected to challenge the legislation in the courts.

BBC/Dominica Nwabufo