Montana became the first US state to ban TikTok, a social video app, in an attempt to protect its residents’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party. The bill, which was introduced in February, targets app stores like Google and Apple, prohibiting them from hosting TikTok. The bill targets companies rather than individuals, so no TikTok users will be fined. India banned TikTok in 2020, citing a wave of dangerous “challenges” that led to some users’ deaths. TikTok is already banned in China, but its sister app Douyin, which shares many features, has much firmer moderation.

Source: The Guardian May 19, 2023 12:04 UTC