Montana’s legislature last year passed legislation, signed by the Governor, to ban the use of TikTok within the borders of the state, seeking to protect Montana consumers’ personal information and limit spying by the Chinese government through TikTok.
Some Montana users sued Montana to block the ban. A federal judge in Montana issued a preliminary injunction blocking the ban that was set to start on January 1, 2024. On January 2, 2024, the state filed a notice to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Montana’s ban of the use of TikTok in the state by anyone was more expansive than previous bans by the federal government and other states prohibiting its use by federal and state employees.
We have repeatedly written about the risks and concerns about consumers’ use of TikTok. Its use continues to be a national security threat, and Montana’s appeal is one we will be watching closely.