TikTok Users Sue Over Ban in US State of Montana
Several TikTok users in the US state of Montana have filed a lawsuit against the recently imposed ban on the short video platform. They claim that the ban violates their rights as citizens.
The Montana TikTok users have filed a lawsuit at the US District Court in Montana, claiming that the ban violates their constitutional rights as citizens. They also argue that the state is acting as if it has the authority to make decisions for national security, which it does not.
The Montana Governor, Greg Gianforte, signed the ban into law on Wednesday, prohibiting the app stores of Google and Apple from offering TikTok within state borders. TikTok and the app stores could face fines for every violation, as well as additional fines of $10,000 per day.
Montana Governor Signs Bill to Ban TikTok
Governor Gianforte signed the bill into law to protect the citizens of Montana from the surveillance of the Chinese Communist Party. The ban is set to take effect on January 1, 2024. Montana is the first state in the US to ban the social media platform due to the potential influence of the Chinese government.
The Attorney General of Montana, Austin Knudsen, has yet to comment on the lawsuit. However, TikTok has responded to the ban, stating that it violates the rights of citizens by unlawfully prohibiting the app. The company has repeatedly denied sharing data with the Chinese government.
TikTok to Continue Defending User Rights
TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company, ByteDance. The video-sharing app company has pledged to work to defend the rights of its users in and outside Montana. It has also stated that the ban in Montana violates user rights. The lawsuit seeks to prevent the ban from taking effect.
