1 of 1 TikTok Photo: Portal TikTok Photo: Portal
The new law bans app stores like Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store from offering TikTok in Montana. The regulation will come into effect on January 1, 2024.
TikTok and App Stores are expected to be fined $10,000 (about R$50,000 as of May 17 listing) per violator if they try to break the lockdown.
TikTok claims to have more than 150 million users in the US. There is no public information on how many of these users there are in Montana, a state of just over a million people.
Gianforte, a Republican, said the new rule would reinforce the state’s priority “to protect Montana residents from Chinese Communist Party surveillance.”
It also banned the use of social networking apps on government devices that collect and share personal information or data with other countries.
TikTok, controlled by Chinese company ByteDance, has been accused of being linked to the Chinese government and thus posing a threat to US security.
What does TikTok say?
ByteDance denies the allegations and says it has not shared user data with the Chinese government, nor has it received requests to share information with Chinese authorities.
In a statement following the signing, the company said the new law “violates the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana.” The First Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits the creation of laws that restrict freedom of religion, expression, or the press.
The company also said it will “defend the rights” of its users in and out of the state.
According to Portal, the ban is likely to face legal challenges in the US. In 2020, former US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning new TikTok downloads, but the decision was blocked by multiple courts and never went into effect.
TikTok, banned on government devices in the US, Canada and several European countries, is in the crosshairs of US federal agencies.
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