![]() Gianforte had wanted to expand the TikTok bill to include apps tied to foreign adversaries, but lawmakers did not send him the bill until after the session ended this month, preventing him from offering any amendments. The legislation, drafted by the attorney general’s office, easily passed through Montana’s GOP-controlled Legislature. ![]() Among the apps he listed are WeChat, whose parent company is headquartered in China and Telegram Messenger, which was founded in Russia. On Wednesday, Gianforte also announced he was prohibiting the use of all social media applications tied to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state businesses in Montana effective on June 1. states and the federal government have a similar ban. When Montana banned the app on government-owned devices in late December, Gianforte said TikTok posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.Ī former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as a “propaganda tool” for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless. citizens or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance, could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. Keegan Medrano, policy director for the ACLU of Montana, said the Legislature “trampled on the free speech of hundreds of thousands of Montanans who use the app to express themselves, gather information and run their small business, in the name of anti-Chinese sentiment.” The American Civil Liberties of Montana and NetChoice, a trade group that counts Google and TikTok as its members, also called the law unconstitutional. “We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” Oberwetter said in a statement. She declined to say whether the company will file a lawsuit. TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter argued that the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights and is unlawful. “Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app. to completely ban TikTok on Wednesday, May 17, when Republican Gov. Montana became the first state in the U.S. ![]() Botkin, a former walk-on place kicker and punter for the Montana Grizzlies, gained notoriety on the social media platform after videos of him performing kicking tricks went viral. Tommy Martino/AP Show More Show Less 8 of21 Adam Botkin, a football TikTok influencer, edits a video for a post at a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Missoula, Mont., on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. ![]() Stay tuned to for more information.6 of21 7 of21 Adam Botkin a football TikTok influencer, records a video for a post at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont., on Monday, May 1, 2023. Election results will be posted right here throughout the evening as the results are made available. ![]() TORRINGTON – The Telegram will be reporting live from the Goshen County Courthouse tonight. Updated: 9 months ago / Posted Aug 16, 2022 ![]()
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