The US state of Montana was taken to court less than a day after the TikTok ban was announced. The ban takes effect on January 1, 2024. Five people make videos on the social media platform, Content creatorsWe believe that such bans are incompatible with freedom of expression.

the five Content creators Those who bring Montana to court use the app to promote their businesses, connect with veterans, or create funny videos. Some of them are making huge sums of money from this, according to the appeal, which was filed just hours after the ban was announced. The ban would “immediately and permanently prevent the plaintiffs from expressing themselves and communicating with others.” “We expected a lawsuit to be filed, and we are prepared to defend ourselves,” the Montana Department of Justice said.

Gov. Gianforte says the law ensures that Montana residents’ personal data and information is kept out of the hands of the Chinese government. In the West, there are concerns that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is collecting user data or spreading Chinese propaganda. ByteDance strongly denies this. The company says it has never received such requests and will never respond to them.

In many US states, there is talk of banning the app. The Montana case could be a case in point. Cybersecurity experts question the feasibility of such bans, as they are difficult to enforce.

The law signed by Gianforte prohibits downloading of TikTok in the state. Those “enabled” to download or use the app — app stores, for example — could be fined $10,000 per day. This fine does not apply to users.