Montana Becomes First State to Ban TikTok - The Messenger
It's time to break the news.The Messenger's slogan

Montana Becomes First State to Ban TikTok

The fine for violators is $10,000.

CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 20: The TikTok logo is displayed outside a TikTok office on December 20, 2022 in Culver City, California. Congress is pushing legislation to ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app from most government devices. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Mario Tama/Getty Images

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a measure to ban downloading TikTok in the state and a $10,000 fine for any entity that offers downloads of the app.

The bill was signed into law Tuesday after being passed by state legislators in April. Montana earlier banned the use of TikTok on government-owned devices and for state business in December.

The ban is expected to face legal challenges from TikTok and the American Civil Liberties Union, which have both criticized the state’s efforts to prohibit the app, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The ban is set to take effect in 2024, though the Wall Street Journal reported it could be delayed through litigation.

A TikTok spokesperson said the ban “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana” and called the ban unlawful. 

A TikTok ban was first floated under former President Trump in early 2020 after national security experts expressed concerns about the safety of users’ data and potential monitoring from China, where the app was created.

The Messenger Newsletters
Essential news, exclusive reporting and expert analysis delivered right to you. All for free.
 
By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use.
Thanks for signing up!
You are now signed up for our newsletters.