Gov. Greg Gianforte is calling on the Montana University System to prevent the use of TikTok.
In a letter to the state board of regents released publicly this week, Gianforte requests that the board block the university system and its campuses from using the popular social media app, and prevent its use while connected to a Montana University System network.
The request comes after Gianforte joined about a dozen other governors in banning state agencies from using TikTok on government-issued devices, calling the app a security threat. TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance and has come under federal scrutiny, with the head of the FBI recently outlining "national security concerns" related to the app.
Montana State University tells YPR TikTok isn’t a significant channel compared to other communication platforms, and “discontinuing its use will have negligible impact to our communications.”
MSUB said in a statement that no new content is being posted to the MSU Billings TikTok account while the school awaits further guidance.
YPR is a department of MSUB.
