Posted by The Montana government has signed a bill banning TikTok in the state. Governor Greg Gianforte tweeted that the ban is to protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Community Party. The bill is set to take effect in January and it specifically named TikTok as its target prohibiting the app from operating within state lines.
The law also highlights potential fines of $10,000 per day for violators, including app stores found hosting the social media app.
This comes as TikTok faces increasing criticism for its ties to China. Owned by China-based ByteDance, many US officials have expressed fears that the Chinese government could potentially access US data via TikTok, although there is so far no evidence that the Chinese government has ever accessed the personal information of US-based TikTok users.
Gianforte also signed a separate executive order that prohibits the use of any social media app tied to foreign adversaries on government devices, including ByteDance and Telegram Messenger.
Reacting to the ban, TikTok in a statement released to CNN wrote, “Governor Gianforte has signed a bill that infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana by unlawfully banning TikTok, a platform that empowers hundreds of thousands of people across the state. 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.”
NetChoice has also slammed the Montana bill, dubbing it unconstitutional. NetChoice’s general counsel, Carl Szabo said, “The government may not block our ability to access constitutionally protected speech – whether it is in a newspaper, on a website or via an app. In implementing this law, Montana ignores the U.S. Constitution, due process and free speech by denying access to a website and apps their citizens want to use.” However, lawmakers in Montana’s House of Representatives had last month voted 54-43 to pass the bill known as SB419, before sending it to Gianforte’s desk.
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