23-5-2023 (LOS ANGELES) TikTok, the popular social networking platform known for user-made short videos, has taken legal action against the state of Montana in an effort to overturn the recently imposed ban on the app. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 419 into law last week, making Montana the first state in the United States to prohibit the use and access of TikTok.
In a statement, TikTok, headquartered in Los Angeles, expressed their intention to challenge Montana’s unconstitutional ban, citing the need to protect their business and the hundreds of thousands of TikTok users in Montana. The company believes that their legal challenge is built on a strong foundation of legal precedents and factual evidence.
The lawsuit, filed by TikTok in the U.S. District Court, argues that over 150 million Americans use the app on a monthly basis to express themselves and connect with others, highlighting that the ban infringes upon their First Amendment rights.
Furthermore, the complaint filed by TikTok emphasizes that Montana has implemented extraordinary and unprecedented measures based on unsubstantiated speculation.
“To put an end to this unlawful conduct, the plaintiff seeks a declaratory judgement and an order to invalidate and permanently prohibit the enforcement of the TikTok ban,” stated the company in their complaint.
In addition to TikTok’s legal action, five TikTok content creators have also filed a separate lawsuit against Montana last week. The plaintiffs, including businesswomen, a rancher, a student, and a veteran, all have significant audiences and actively engage in creating, publishing, viewing, interacting with, and sharing TikTok videos.
Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) voiced their concerns regarding the ban, asserting that it infringes upon free speech rights under the guise of national security and paves the way for excessive government control over the Internet.
