Montana has made History by becoming the first State in the United States to officially ban the popular Chinese-developed Social Media App TikTok. Republican Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill into Law, citing the need to protect the personal and private Data of Montanans from the Chinese Communist Party.
Governor Gianforte took to Twitter to announce the ban, stating, “To protect Montanans’ personal and private Data from the Chinese Communist Party, I have banned TikTok in Montana.”
Under the new rule, App Stores will be prohibited from offering TikTok starting from January 1, 2024. Furthermore, TikTok will be prevented from operating as a Business within the State.
App providers who violate this ban and continue to offer the Social Media platform will face a hefty fine of $10,000.
It’s important to note that Individual Users of TikTok will not face any fines, and those who already have the App Installed on their devices will not be directly affected by the ban.
However, it remains to be seen how the ban will be enforced and whether there will be any repercussions for Individuals who continue to use the app despite the prohibition.
The Introduction of this TikTok ban in Montana is expected to trigger legal challenges centered around the right to freedom of expression.
Critics argue that such a ban infringes upon Individuals’ rights to access and engage with Online Platforms of their choice.
TikTok, owned by Chinese Company ByteDance, has faced similar restrictions in other countries due to Cybersecurity concerns. Government-issued devices in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and the United States have already banned the App.
With over a billion Users Worldwide and widespread popularity in the U.S. and Europe, there are growing concerns that the Chinese authorities and secret services could exploit TikTok to gather User Information or exert Influence.
ByteDance, the parent Company of TikTok, has consistently denied these allegations and emphasized its commitment to Data privacy and security. The ban in Montana adds to the ongoing Global debate surrounding the app’s potential risks and the measures taken by Governments to address them.
