When Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed legislation that imposes a ban on the popular social media app TikTok, opinions spread like wildfire. Governor Gianforte justified his actions by explaining how TikTok poses a threat to the personal data of thousands of TikTok users in the state of Montana since it is owned by China. Some supported these illegal intelligence gathering accusations, while others were outraged when they heard their favorite app was banned. While opinions and biases are circulating around the world, it’s best to use this case study as an opportunity to gain insights about such a situation while simultaneously feeding our curiosity about the case. Why did the Governor accuse TikTok of illegal intelligence gathering? Is TikTok really going to get banned? What is TikTok’s response to these accusations? Here is everything you need to know about this state’s TikTok ban.
Why Did Governor Greg Gianforte Suggest A TikTok Ban?
TikTok is owned by China, which means all the data stored in the app’s backend servers is directly accessible by the Chinese Government. With an evident lack of regulations that keep the app from illegally laundering this data to the Chinese government, there is a possibility that the app is already gathering information from users.
According to Governor Gianforte, he intends to keep the private data of all the citizens of the State of Montana safe. Asking all the platforms to remove access to TikTok was a necessary move to ensure the well-being of the citizens.
How Is The Ban Supposed To Take Place?
From January 1, 2024, Google and Apple App Stores have been instructed to not allow access to the app within the state of Montana. However, interestingly it does NOT ban any citizen from using the app.
This means that citizens who already have the app on their devices will not face any legal action and can continue to use the app without a problem. However, if you plan to install the app after 1st January, you will not find it on any official App Store.
TikTok files a lawsuit that argues the ban violates the First Amendment rights
In response to the State of Montana banning the app TikTok has decided to sue the governor for allegedly violating the citizen’s right to free speech by interfering with the platform that is a source of expression and income for thousands of citizens.
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According to TikTok officials, the act of shutting down TikTok was “unconstitutional” and if implemented, it will violate the citizen’s right to free speech. However, there seems to have been little effect of this argument since the governor’s decision stood unwavering.
Other Countries That Have Also Banned TikTok
Although Montana is the first American state to take action against TikTok and remove it from all official app stores from January 1, several other countries have already banned the app for similar concerns.
Countries like Canada, Australia, and India have already imposed a ban on TikTok because of the same data privacy concerns. They fear that the Chinese Government might exploit its authority over the Bytedance-owned TikTok and steal critical private data for exploitation.
TikTok Officials Say That The Governer’s Data Privacy Concerns Are “Unfounded”
While the “eye of the tornado” remains Governor Giantforte’s concern for the privacy of the Montana citizens, he is only met with accusations of hindering “freedom of speech” and violating the First Amendment in return.
TikTok officials complain that the governor’s privacy concerns are “unfounded” since there are no physical proofs that suggest that the intelligence is being leaked to the Chinese Government; thus he is functioning only on a hunch.