TikTok Sues Montana Over Law Banning the App, Arguing It Violates First Amendment
variety.comTodd Spangler NY Digital Editor TikTok says Montana’s newly enacted law that would criminalize usage of the short-form video app is unconstitutional — and the app company has taken legal action to fight the state’s ban.
TikTok filed a lawsuit Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana seeking to have the law reversed. It was signed into law last week by Montana Gov.
Greg Gianforte, who said it would “protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party.” TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a China-based internet conglomerate. “We are challenging Montana’s unconstitutional TikTok ban to protect our business and the hundreds of thousands of TikTok users in Montana,” the app maker said in a statement. “We believe our legal challenge will prevail based on an exceedingly strong set of precedents and facts.” Under the Montana law, starting Jan.
1, 2024, TikTok would face fines of up to $10,000 per day per violation if it continues to operate in the state. In addition, the state could impose penalties on Apple and Google if they allow users in Montana to download the app from their respective app stores. “Montana’s ban abridges freedom of speech in violation of the First Amendment, violates the U.S.
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