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Governor Greg Gianforte signed the bill that will ban TikTok in Montana!
“Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.
Montana has made it unlawful for Google and Apple’s app stores to offer TikTok within the state, but will not penalize individuals using the app. The ban will take effect Jan. 1, 2024 and will face legal challenges.
“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said in a statement.
People in Montana can bypass the ban by using a VPN that can prevent others from observing their web browsing.
Utah and Arkansas, already have laws that would hinge social media use on parental consent, as similar bills are in the works.