(MENAFN) In a significant move, the state of Montana has implemented a comprehensive ban on the popular video-sharing platform TikTok, marking the strictest action taken against the platform by any US state thus far. As TikTok is owned by a Chinese technology firm, the social media company has strongly criticized the legislation, arguing that it infringes upon the constitutional rights of American citizens.

Governor Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law, emphasizing his aim to safeguard the personal and private data of Montanans from the Chinese Communist Party. The ban, scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2024, could potentially face legal challenges from TikTok as well as civil liberties groups concerned about the implications of such legislation.

Referred to as SB419, the law gained significant support from Republicans in the Montana state legislature and passed last month. Supporters of the bill maintain that TikTok, due to its ownership by ByteDance, a Beijing-based company, poses both privacy and national security threats to the United States. The legislation specifically prohibits TikTok from operating within Montana's borders and imposes penalties of up to $10,000 per day on mobile app stores that continue to host the platform.

In response to the ban, TikTok issued a statement vowing to contest the new law and to persist in defending the rights of its users within and beyond Montana. The company's spokesperson, Brooke Oberwetter, expressed concern over Governor Gianforte's decision, asserting that the bill encroaches upon the First Amendment rights of Montanans. TikTok aims to reassure its users that they can continue utilizing the platform as a means of self-expression, livelihood, and community-building.

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