Montana to become the first state to impose ban on TikTok

TikTok has faced all kinds of allegations, including mishandling users’ data, being suspected of snooping on US journalists, and much more. Several bills were observed regarding the ban of the TikTok app. Montana has become the very first state to pass the bill that will allow the app to be banned on all devices. This bill is waiting for approval by Governor Greg Gianforte. He has already banned the app on all devices that belong to the state. Along with that, he wants the app to be removed from the app store by 2024, including a $10,000 penalty per day in case of non-compliance.

On the other hand, some people are objecting to the decision; there’s a long list of allegations against the app, like national security concerns and much more. As the ACLU is against the decision, it has stated that this is a violation of the first amendment and that this act violates freedom of expression. Furthermore, there’s no proper evidence against all these allegations or about the Chinese government spying on the US government or people. This bill is most likely to be challenged in court, along with its approval concerns, which could prompt other lawmakers to push for a copycat bill.

According to Jenna Leventoff, senior policy counsel for the ACLU, “Montanians deserve better than to have their representatives violate their free speech rights by preventing them from using a special platform that enables them to speak their minds, exchange information, and learn new things.”

TikTok’s response to the situation

TikTok stated that this ban is a government-imposed act and is planning to fight against it. The company stated that the platform was a space for people to express themselves and get recognised on a worldwide scale. Along with that, this app is becoming a source to promote businesses and can act as an important marketing tool.

TikTok aims to fight for TikTok users and content creators based in Montana.

In addition, TikTok’s claimed that Project Texas, in response to national security worries, will safeguard US user data by passing it through American Oracle servers and letting third parties oversee the app’s algorithms. A recent employee assertion that the Chinese government might still access US user data through TikTok’s has raised additional doubts, though.