Montana Bans TikTok in Controversial Move

Montana has become the first state to officially ban the popular social media app, TikTok. Governor Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 419 into law, citing the need to protect private information from potential compromise by the Chinese government.

Governor Gianforte expressed concerns about the Chinese Communist Party’s alleged use of TikTok as a tool for spying on Americans and collecting their personal and sensitive data. While direct evidence of the Chinese government accessing TikTok user data remains elusive.

Under the new legislation, platforms that offer TikTok on their marketplaces, including the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, may face fines of up to $10,000 per day for violations. The ban will officially take effect on January 1, 2024. It is anticipated that TikTok will challenge the bill in federal court, with support from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, who argue that the ban is unconstitutional.

This isn’t Governor Gianforte’s first action against TikTok. Last December, he prohibited the app on state government electronic devices. Now, he has expanded the ban to include all social media applications that collect and transmit user information to foreign adversaries or entities located in countries designated as foreign adversaries.

Montana’s move aligns with broader actions taken against TikTok on the national level. In December, President Biden signed legislation banning the app from government devices, and there has been ongoing discussion of an all-out ban if TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, fails to find an American buyer.

As the debate around TikTok’s privacy and security rages on, Montana has taken a bold stance. While the ban faces potential legal challenges, the state’s actions underscore the growing concerns over personal data protection in the digital age. Only time will tell if other states follow in Montana’s footsteps or if the ban itself undergoes further scrutiny and potential revisions.