TikTok has taken legal action to block Montana, a US state, from enforcing a ban on its social media platform. The lawsuit was filed on Monday after Montana recently passed a wide-ranging ban specifically targeting the Chinese-owned video-sharing app.
TikTok argues that the ban infringes upon free speech rights protected under the US Constitution. The company has faced scrutiny globally over concerns about potential data sharing with the Chinese government.
According to a TikTok spokesperson, the lawsuit aims to overturn the “unlawful” ban and protect the business and hundreds of thousands of TikTok users in Montana. They expressed confidence in their legal challenge, citing strong precedents and facts.
The lawsuit contends that the ban violates the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech. TikTok’s complaint asserts that the ban unjustly shuts down the platform as a forum for all users’ speech.
Scheduled to go into effect in January 2024, the ban will make it illegal for app stores to offer TikTok. However, it does not prohibit current TikTok users from accessing the platform.
Montana, with a population of slightly over one million, had previously banned the app on government devices in December. TikTok claims to have 150 million American users, primarily teenagers and users in their twenties.
There are bipartisan concerns in the US about TikTok potentially posing a national security risk. As a Chinese-owned company, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has consistently denied any control by the Chinese government.
The lawsuit further argues that Montana has exceeded its authority by involving itself in data privacy and national security matters, which fall under federal jurisdiction. TikTok dismisses the ban as unfounded speculation about China’s access to TikTok data.
Montana officials anticipate legal challenges and are prepared to defend the ban in court.