Montana Becomes First State to Ban TikTok, App Files Lawsuit Challenging Ban

Montana has become the first state in the United States to ban the popular social media app, TikTok. On Monday, the app filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court challenging the ban, arguing that it violates the First Amendment.

The ban was signed into law by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte on May 17th. In a statement, Gianforte said that the measure was intended to “protect Montanans’ personal and private information.”

In response to the lawsuit, a TikTok spokesperson said that the company believes its legal challenge will prevail based on a “strong set of precedents and facts.” The spokesperson also noted that the ban affects the hundreds of thousands of TikTok users in Montana.

TikTok, which has 150 million monthly users, is the most popular social media app among teens and young adults. The app is known for its short-form videos and has become a platform for users to express themselves and share their creativity.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges to the app, which has been the subject of scrutiny from the U.S. government over its ties to China. The U.S. government has also raised concerns about the app’s data security and privacy practices. It remains to be seen how the lawsuit will play out, but it could have far-reaching implications for the app and its users.