TikTok Ban Supported By Virginia, Other US States

(CTN News) – 18 state attorneys general backed Montana’s efforts to ban Chinese-owned TikTok on Monday, urging a US judge to reject legal challenges before the ban takes effect on January 1.

TikTok and users’ suits should be rejected by state attorneys general led by Virginia, Georgia, Alaska, Utah, Indiana, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and South Dakota, because intentionally engages in deceptive business practices which induce individuals to share sensitive personal information that can readily be obtained by the Chinese Communist Party and because platform harms children in Montana.

As of Monday, which is owned by China’s ByteDance, did not respond to a request for comment. The company filed a lawsuit in May seeking to block the first-of-its-kind US state ban on several grounds, arguing that it violates the free speech rights of users and the company.

The hearing on preliminary injunction request is scheduled for October 12.

In response to concerns about possible Chinese government influence, US lawmakers have increased their calls for a nationwide ban of TikTok, which is used by more than 150 million Americans.

It has been difficult to pass legislation that would give the Biden administration greater power to ban or crack down on TikTok.

Attorney General Austin Knudsen, a Republican, stated last month that the state legislature and governor “did the right thing in prohibiting from operating in Montana while it is under foreign control.”

Legislators in March accused of serving harmful content and inflicting “emotional distress” on young people.

As stated by TikTok, the company “has not shared, and never will share, US user data with the Chinese government, and has taken substantial measures to protect the privacy and security of users.”

It is possible for Montana to impose fines of $10,000 for each violation committed by TikTok. There is no penalty imposed on individual TikTok users under the law.

It is estimated that 380,000 people in Montana use, which is more than a third of the state’s 1.1 million population.

In 2020, the former US President Donald Trump attempted to ban new downloads of TikTok, but a series of court rulings prevented the ban from taking effect.

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