On Wednesday, the US state Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a measure into law that would outlaw the use of TikTok beginning on January 1, 2024.
Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are increasingly asking for a wider ban on the Chinese-owned video-sharing network due to privacy concerns.
To prevent the Chinese Communist Party from gaining access to Montanans’ private information, Gianforte tweeted that he had prohibited the use of TikTok in the state.
Why did Montana Ban TikTok in US and What Does It Mean?
The state plans to fine tech giants like Apple and Google $10,000 per day that TikTok remains available on their platforms of choice. Infractions are counted each time “a customers accesses TikTok, is offered the ability to access TikTok, or is offered the ability to download TikTok,” as stated in the version of the law posted on the state’s website.
However, the public will not be punished.
The Montana restriction would be nullified if TikTok were sold to a corporation not based in “any country designated as a foreign adversary” by the government.
In what ways didTikTok react?
The company’s representative, Brooke Oberwetter, claimed that the regulation violates people’s right to free speech. According to a statement from Oberwetter:
As we continue to fight for the rights of our users everywhere, we want to make sure Montanans know they can keep using TikTok for all their expressive, financial, and social needs.
Oberwetter would neither confirm or deny if TikTok planned to bring a lawsuit, despite widespread speculation to the contrary. Prior statements by TikTok indicated that Beijing was not interfering with the company’s operations.
The government has been trying to restrict TikTok since 2020. Once upon a time, President Donald Trump issued an order prohibiting the company from operating in the country, but his attempt was thwarted by the courts.
Legislation requiring parental permission for minors’ social media use has been passed in some states like Utah and Arkansas.
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