This is an unprecedented reality. An American state has decided to ban TikTok from its territory. This is Montana, a large state located in the northwest of the country. As a result, there are no more residents. they can’t download the app on their phone.
The bill was approved by state governor Greg Gianforte. from 1thing January 2024, Google Play Store and AppStore stores will be mandatory to block TikTok downloads from within borders.
Montana bans TikTok, a first
The bill states that every download will be synonymous. $10,000 fine per daily violation. It’s not users who will be worried here, but Apple and Google, as well as Tiktok’s parent company, ByteDance. The governor justified this decision in a short message on Twitter:
I banned TikTok in Montana to protect Montanas’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) 17 May 2023
“I banned TikTok from Montana to protect Montanas’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party. »
TikTok responded on its own behalf spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter :
“Governor Gianforte signed a document violating the Montana people’s First Amendment (note: advocating freedom of speech in the US) by unjustly banning TikTok. It is a platform that has entertained thousands of centenarians across the state. As we continue to stand up for their rights, we want to reassure Montanans that they can continue to use TikTok to express themselves, make a living, or find a community.”
There are still loopholes in the law such as using TikTok directly through the internet browser or asking for pre-installed apps. Besides, There is a good chance that a legal battle will be brought before Washington officials. By TikTok to overturn this decision.
Anyway, this anti-TikTok law represents a life-size test for the US, which is increasingly wary of the Chinese app. The issue of prohibition, whether by governments or individuals, is not new, and Montana, with a population of just over a million people, should serve as a laboratory. Although banning TikTok seems like a logical idea to protect personal and private data, it also raises the issue of web neutrality as well as the power of the State over what we can and cannot use.
