TikTok ‘confident’ of stopping Montana ban: CEO

TikTok is confident of stopping a ban in the US state of Montana, its CEO said on Tuesday, after the Chinese-owned social media app launched a legal challenge.

The unprecedented ban, set to start in 2024, is shaping as a test case for the United States as lawmakers in Washington increasingly call for a national prohibition, citing security concerns.

“We believe that the Montana bill that was recently passed is simply unconstitutional,” Shou Zi Chew told the Qatar Economic Forum.

“We very recently filed a lawsuit, the challenge is in the courts and we are confident that we will prevail,” he added.

Shou was speaking just hours after TikTok filed suit in US federal court, arguing that Montana’s ban violates the constitutionally protected right to free speech.

The video-sharing app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, is accused by a swathe of US politicians of being under the tutelage of the Chinese government and a tool of espionage by Beijing, something the company furiously denies.