TikTok has filed a lawsuit in US federal court to stop Montana from completely banning the video-sharing social media app, The Washington Post has reported. In the lawsuit filed by TikTok, it said the unprecedented ban, which is set to go into effect in 2024, violates the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression. Famous video app TikTok filed a lawsuit against Montana, claiming that the country’s First Amendment right to free speech would be violated by the state’s new law, which bans the app nationwide. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the law, which was signed last week by the state’s Republican governor, Greg Gianforte, and is set to take effect on January 1, 2024. Legal arguments may delay the resolution.
150 million American users present on the platform
Tiktok estimates that 150 million American users are present on the platform. TikTok said that the state’s extraordinary and unprecedented measures are based on nothing more than baseless speculation. According to the Washington Post, five Tiktok creators had filed a lawsuit against Montana for banning the app. Let us tell you that taking to Twitter last week, the Governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte announced a ban on Tiktok in Montana, saying that this has been done to protect the personal and private data of Montanans from the Chinese Communist Party. Tiktok is only one app related to foreign opponents. Today I directed the Chief Information Officer of the State to ban any application providing personal information or data to foreign adversaries from the State network.
Video banned in more than half of US states
Greg Gianforte said that when Montana banned the app on devices used by the government in December 2022, TikTok presented a significant risk to confidential state information. The federal government and more than half of US states have comparable restrictions on video-sharing social networking platforms. Elaborating further, Gianforte also said that as of June 1, any social media platforms associated with foreign enemies will not be allowed to be used on government property or for official activities in Montana. He mentioned several apps including WeChat, whose core business is based in China, and Telegram messenger, which was founded in Russia.
