Montana became the first state in the US to completely ban TikTok on Wednesday when the Republican government. Greg Gianforte signed a measure more drastic than any other state’s attempts to curtail the social media app.

The measure is expected to face legal challenge and serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America envisioned by many national legislators.

Today, Montana is taking the most decisive action of any state to protect Montana’s private data and sensitive personal information from collection by the Chinese Communist Party, Gianforte said in a statement.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has said it will fight for Montana residents to use the app.

Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials from other agencies are concerned about the video-sharing app, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, that could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information about US citizens or promote pro- Beijing to spread disinformation. TikTok says none of this ever happened.

TikTok may be banned after ‘disaster’ testimonial. Why don’t some TikTokers care?

When Montana banned the app on government-owned devices in late December, Gianforte said TikTok posed a significant risk to sensitive state data. More than half of the US states and federal government have similar bans.

On Wednesday, Gianforte also announced that starting June 1, he will ban the use of all social media applications linked to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state-owned businesses in Montana. and Telegram Messenger, founded in Russia.

The legislation, drafted by the Attorney General’s office, passed easily through the GOP-controlled Montana legislature.

Gianforte had wanted to expand the TikTok law to include apps linked to foreign adversaries, but the legislature only sent him the law after the session ended, preventing him from submitting amendments.

Montana’s new law bans downloading TikTok in the state and would fine any entity, an app store or TikTok $10,000 per day for every time someone is given the opportunity to access the social media platform or use the app to download. The penalties do not apply to users.

How migrants rely on TikTok as they travel to the US border

Detractors argue that this is government overreach and say Montana residents can easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from monitoring their web browsing and other activities. to observe. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is being used with online sports betting apps, which have been deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.

TikTok, which has said it has a plan to protect US users, has vowed to fight back against the ban, along with small business owners who said they use the app for advertising to expand their business and get more customers. reaches. The ACLU of Montana opposed the bill, arguing that it was an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

The app’s fun, wacky videos and ease of use have made it immensely popular, and US tech giants such as Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, see the app as a threat to competition.