In May 2023, Montana announced that it was placing a ban on the downloading and use of the TikTok app across the state, in an effort to reduce the risk of residents’ data being accessed and unlawfully used by China.
But how do you go about enforcing a ban on one of the most popular social media apps in the world?
Well, while TikTok has never been directly affected by a ban before, there have been cases where apps and platforms have been blocked on a country-wide scale – with tech companies able to block the spread of their data across certain countries and destinations.
However, the difference here is that it isn’t the app that’s looking to create the ban, but rather the country or state. Meaning that it’s the local app store that needs to be able to block Montana-based IP addresses from accessing TikTok.
How Will the Ban Work?
The banning of TikTok was due to commence from 1st January 2024 across Montana.
The aim was to prohibit the app stores from offering TikTok within the state, despite trading groups making it clear that companies like Apple and Google cannot block access to apps in individual states.
However, it seems as if the logistics of the ban never really mattered – as an announcement in November 2023 stated that the TikTok ban in Montana had been blocked or at least halted for the time being. This announcement was made in light of a federal judge deciding that blocking TikTok was an overstep on the part of the state, violating the First Amendment and its residents right to free speech.
It is likely that a full trial will follow sometime in 2024 to determine whether the ban can be upheld or not. For now, though, TikTok is still widely accessible across Montana and beyond.
