TikTok's Fall: Montana is the first US state to completely ban video sharing app, others to follow suit

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has signed a bill into law that imposes a complete ban on TikTok in the state, making it the strictest measure in the United States among efforts to restrict the usage of the popular video-sharing app. This bill also makes Montana the first state in the US to completely ban TikTok. The law, slated to go into effect in January, will impose a $10,000 fine on any entity, including TikTok itself and app stores, that allows the downloading of the platform. The fine will increase by the same amount each day the violation persists. “Necessary to protect Montanans,” Says Gov Gianforte Governor Gianforte stated on Twitter that the law was necessary to safeguard Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party, and he anticipated potential legal challenges to arise. **Also read: China’s data collection agent: TikTok’s insidious ways to collect data and share it with the CCP** TikTok, which is owned by Chinese technology company ByteDance, boasts over 100 million users in the US. Governor Gianforte emphasized that Montana’s action was the most resolute among all states in protecting individuals’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party. While some US lawmakers have expressed concerns about TikTok being used by the Chinese government to collect private data on Americans and distribute harmful content, TikTok has asserted that it is implementing measures to prevent such activities. These measures include a plan to store US data in a separate entity called “Project Texas,” which will be jointly supervised by US software provider Oracle. TikTok has also intensified its efforts to monitor and remove posts that promote negative behaviour such as teen suicide and political violence. They have a team of 44,000 screeners worldwide working on this task. TikTok calls the ban unlawful, an infringement of First Amendment rights Following the passage of the Montana law, a TikTok spokesperson in the US released a statement describing it as a violation of First Amendment rights, which protect freedom of speech and expression. TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter criticized Governor Gianforte’s signing of the bill, stating that it infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana and that it is unlawful. Oberwetter reassured Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community, while TikTok works to defend the rights of its users both inside and outside of Montana. **Also read: TikTok to cut Chinese ties? Platform considers splitting from ByteDance if negotiations with US fail** It’s worth noting that concerns about TikTok’s potential risks have been voiced by both Republicans and Democrats. Senators Mark Warner (Democrat) and John Thune (Republican) have jointly sponsored the Restrict Act, which would grant the US Commerce Department the authority to ban TikTok and other apps that present national security vulnerabilities. The bill has gained support from 25 Senate cosponsors, with a nearly equal split between the two parties. Governor Gianforte also announced a state ban, effective June 1, on the use of social media applications tied to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state businesses. This includes WeChat, which has its parent company headquartered in China, and Telegram Messenger, founded in Russia. In line with these actions, President Joe Biden issued an executive order in February to ban TikTok on federal government-issued devices. He subsequently issued another order stating that TikTok would face a ban in the US if its parent company ByteDance did not divest the app. TikTok also has many supporters TikTok has garnered support from various ideological corners in the US, with advocates raising concerns about free speech and expressing opposition to the ban. Keegan Medrano, policy director at the ACLU of Montana, criticized Governor Gianforte and the Montana legislature for infringing on the free speech of TikTok users in Montana. Medrano argued that the ban was driven by anti-Chinese sentiment and disregarded the rights of Montanans who use the app to express themselves, gather information, and run their small businesses. **Also read: Americans love TikTok: Despite security concerns, Chinese video app grew exponentially in the US** In March, Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked a move by Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, another Republican and vocal critic of Beijing, to gain unanimous consent for a TikTok ban bill. Senator Paul cited concerns about free speech and expressed unease about the uneven treatment of social media companies. Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York also opposed the move to ban TikTok. In a TikTok video posted at the same time, she described a ban as “unprecedented.” Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.