Montana has become the first U.S. state to pass a ban on TikTok for all citizens, forbidding users from downloading the app.
Existing users, however, will be able to keep using the social media platform. Several states had previously banned TikTok but only on government-owned devices.
- The bill, which passed by a vote of 54 to 43, will go into effect in January 2024 after Gov. Greg Gianforte signs it, which he is expected to do.
- The two main reasons for banning the app cited in the bill are surveillance risks and encouraging dangerous activities among youth.
- Companies that do not respect this law will be fined up to $10,000, while similar fines for individuals have not been presented at the moment.
- Some researchers have stated that implementing this new law may pose an issue for the state of Montana for several reasons.
- According to them, it is only possible to enforce this law by knowing the location of the user, which violates their privacy rights.
- Furthermore, they claim that users bypass location-based restrictions by using VPNs.
- TikTok released a public statement saying that the decision violates the First Amendment and that it will actively work to reverse this bill.
Zoom Out:
- TikTok has been at the center of controversy for the last few years. Former President Donald Trump had proposed that the app should be either banned or bought by a U.S. company. During that period, it was reported that Microsoft was close to acquiring the app, but the deal never came to fruition.
- The app has been banned on government devices in many U.S. states and countries worldwide. Countries such as India, however, have banned it altogether.
- TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified in front of the U.S. Congress a month ago, claiming that the app didn't track its users any more than apps such as Facebook and Instagram do.
