Montana has become the first American state to pass legislation that outlaws the use of TikTok, with the law expected to go into effect in 2022. Many US lawmakers have been calling for a national ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform, citing concerns over its security and impact.

Under the new law, each time a user accesses and/or downloads TikTok, they will be in violation and face a $10,000 fine per day. Additionally, Apple and Google will be required to remove the app from their respective app stores. Companies that violate this law will also face possible daily fines.

The move is expected to be challenged in court by various companies and individuals who claim that it infringes on their First Amendment rights. Some advocates argue that the ban is actually rooted in anti-Chinese sentiment and unfairly targets TikTok users. ACLU Montana Policy Director Keegan Medrano criticized state political leaders, saying that they have “trampled on the free speech of hundreds of thousands of Montanans who use the app to express themselves, gather information, and run their small business…”

However, the ban will be voided if TikTok is acquired by a company that is incorporated in a country not designated as a foreign adversary by the United States.

TikTok has been the target of several governments worldwide. The app is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, and many western governments claim that it is being used by the Chinese government as a tool of espionage. Despite TikTok’s insistence to the contrary, the US government has banned the app on government devices, and Montana’s new law is just the latest in a series of measures taken against the popular social media app.

Montana’s ban comes at a time when there are proposals of national legislation that could give the White House increased powers to oversee Chinese tech companies. It is believed that the debate over TikTok’s ban in Montana will serve as a legal test for a national ban, which many lawmakers believe is necessary to prevent the risk of security breaches by foreign-owned apps such as TikTok.

Ultimately, TikTok has stated that the ban’s constitutionality will be decided by the courts, and US citizens who use the app will likely be paying close attention.

https://mediatalkafrica.com/62742/montana-becomes-first-us-state-to-pass-ban-on-tiktok/

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