The Montana TikTok ban will pave the way for other states to ban the app at a time when the Biden administration is seriously considering blocking it in the country|TikTok|Nordskov Media|CC0 1.0
In an unprecedented move, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a law Wednesday banning #TikTok in the state. It is the first state in the country to block the Chinese-owned app.
The ban, effective January 1, is likely to face legal challenges. The American Civil Liberties Union said it “flouts the First Amendment.”
The law restricts internet service providers and mobile app stores from providing TikTo to their consumers in Montana. It further restricts its use by blocking the app inside Montana’s borders.
In a statement, the state attorney general’s office said anyone violating the ban “would face a $10,000 fine per day for each violation.” Residents will not be fined.
However
The law states the ban will be void if TikTok is owned or sold to a country that is not “designated as a foreign adversary.”
Why is this important?
The Montana TikTok ban will pave the way for other states to ban the app at a time when the Biden administration is seriously considering blocking it in the country.
Lawmakers still believe that the app shares American user data with Chinese intelligence, despite CEO Shou Zi Chew denying it before Congress last month.
TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance. Several states have already blocked the app on government-issued devices over national security concerns.