2023-05-18 00:02:17
(CNN) — Montana Governor Greg Gianforte tweeted this wednesday which banned TikTok in the state “to protect the personal and private data of Montana residents from the Communist Party of China.”
The controversial law marks the furthest step by a US state government to restrict TikTok over security concerns and comes as some federal lawmakers have called for a nationwide ban on TikTok. But it is expected to be challenged in court.
The bill, which takes effect in January, specifically names TikTok as its target, barring the app from operating within state lines. The law also outlines possible fines of $10,000 a day for violators, including app stores that host the social media app.
Last month, Montana lawmakers voted 54-43 to approve the bill, known as SB419, sending it to Gianforte’s desk.
The law comes as TikTok faces mounting criticism for its ties to China. TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance. Many U.S. officials have expressed fear that the Chinese government could access U.S. data through TikTok for espionage purposes, although there is no evidence so far that the Chinese government has ever accessed TikTok users’ personal information. based in the United States.
This is breaking news and will be updated.
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