In a bold move, Montana has become the first state in the United States to enact a ban on the popular video-sharing platform TikTok. The law, signed by Governor Greg Gianforte, is expected to take effect next year, igniting a nationwide debate surrounding the app’s impact and security.

This prohibition holds significant implications, serving as a litmus test for a potential national ban on the Chinese-owned platform, a measure that is gaining traction among lawmakers in Washington. The state’s website unveiled the freshly-minted law, asserting that TikTok will not be allowed to operate within Montana’s territorial jurisdiction.

The ban outlines strict guidelines, making it an offense for users to access, be offered access to, or download TikTok. Violations of this law carry a weighty penalty, with a daily fine of $10,000 for each instance.

Additionally, this legislation mandates that tech giants Apple and Google remove TikTok from their app stores, while companies themselves face the possibility of daily fines. It is anticipated that legal challenges will emerge as a result.

Critics argue that state political leaders have encroached upon the free speech rights of Montanans who utilize the app as a means of self-expression, information gathering, and running their small businesses. Keegan Medrano, the policy director of the ACLU Montana, expressed concerns over what they perceive as anti-Chinese sentiment driving this decision.

The ban is slated to go into effect in 2024, contingent upon TikTok’s acquisition by a company incorporated in a nation not designated as a foreign adversary by the United States.

A TikTok spokesperson responded to the ban, stating, “Governor Gianforte has signed a bill that infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana by unlawfully banning TikTok. We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana.”

TikTok has acknowledged that the constitutionality of the ban will ultimately be determined by the courts. This law represents the latest development in the ongoing clash between TikTok and Western governments. The app is already prohibited on government devices in the United States, Canada, and several European countries.

As a subsidiary of the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok has faced accusations from numerous US politicians, who claim that it operates under the influence of the Chinese government and serves as a tool for espionage by Beijing. The company vehemently denies these allegations.

Governor Gianforte publicly stated via Twitter that he signed the ban with the intention of safeguarding Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.

Despite its massive popularity, TikTok finds itself at a crossroads, as the White House issues an ultimatum for the app to sever ties with its Chinese ownership or cease operations in the United States.

Montana’s decisive action against TikTok aligns with broader proposals for national legislation, including a bill that could grant the White House expanded authority to oversee Chinese technology companies.