The revolutionary statewide TikTok ban in Montana was set to take effect at the beginning of 2024, but a US judge temporarily halted it on the grounds that it infringed upon users’ rights to free speech.
A preliminary injunction was issued by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy to prevent the State from banning the Chinese-owned app, citing the fact that it “oversteps State power” and “violates the Constitution in more ways than one.”
TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance in China, filed a lawsuit against Montana in May, claiming that the state ban violates the company’s and users’ First Amendment rights to free speech. The lawsuit sought to block the ban on several grounds.
TikTok users in Montana also filed a lawsuit to overturn the state legislature-approved ban, citing concerns about Montana users’ personal data and potential Chinese spying.
The company said it was pleased that the judge “rejected this unconstitutional law and hundreds of thousands of Montanans can continue to express themselves, earn a living, and find community on TikTok.”
TikTok said in earlier court filings it “has not shared, and would not share, U.S. user data with the Chinese Government, and has taken substantial measures to protect the privacy and security of TikTok users.”
