Summary
Last week, Montana became the first state to pass a law banning the social media app TikTok. But are bans like this a good idea, can they actually be implemented, and are they even legal? Here’s some perspective on TikTok.
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While discussion of banning the social media app TikTok is taking place in multiple houses of government, the state of Montana has become the first to pass a law banning the app. If the governor signs the bill, downloading or using the app in Montana would be illegal. But are laws like this, especially at the state level, a good idea?
For Personal Tech Media, this is Two Minute Tech. I’m Jim Herman.
Most of the reasoning provided by supporters of the ban is the amount of data TikTok collects and the app’s connection to the Chinese Communist Party. However, opponents of the ban point out that TikTok’s data collection is similar to what other social apps collect.
The Montana bill also justifies the law by pointing to some of the dangerous challenges supposedly promoted on the app. While some dangerous content has been promoted, others that have made the news have not actually been promoted by the app’s creators at all.
Personally, I don’t use TikTok. If someone wants to use it, I recommend using a separate device that is only used for that app. The app’s maker claims it does not share data with the Chinese government, but even if that is accurate now, that doesn’t mean the data it collects couldn’t be shared in the future.
However, government bans raise issues with implementation and legality. It will be almost impossible for someone to prove they are outside Montana, especially if using a VPN. The case also raises some First Amendment questions for both TikTok and the app stores. And much of TikTok’s content is also available on other sites like Instagram. While caution with TikTok is recommended, an outright ban seems both impractical and illegal.