The state of Montana bans TikTok
On May 17, 2023, Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana signed a bill that would effectively ban the popular app TikTok in the state. The bill makes the operation and distribution of the app illegal, with a $10,000 fine per day if the laws are infringed. Gianforte composed a tweet to announce his decision to sign the bill: “To protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party, I have banned TikTok in Montana,” Gianforte said. Supporters of the bill are in a staunch agreement that China poses a threat, but TikTok itself responded differently. According to a statement made to CNN by Tiktok’s representatives, “Governor Gianforte has signed a bill that infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana by unlawfully banning TikTok,” TikTok’s representatives said.
