Montana Lawmakers Pass Bill to Ban Social Media App TikTok

[roamer_1]

Montana Lawmakers Pass Bill to Ban Social Media App TikTok - By Associated Press
April 14, 2023

[Excerpt:]

HELENA – Montana lawmakers gave final passage Friday to a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that’s bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers have envisioned.

The measure now goes to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte for his consideration.

https://flatheadbeacon.com/2023/04/14/montana-lawmakers-pass-bill-to-ban-social-media-app-tiktok/

[roamer_1]

QUESTION: CENSORSHIP?

[Kamaji]

Probably too broad a prohibition, and likely to be thrown out on First Amendment grounds.

[kevindavis007]

I'm rather mixed about this.


I don't like the Government to ban things however after I'm seeing on how TikTok collects data and SENDS IT TO COMMUNIST CHINA let alone these so-called challenges that are killing people I think it should be banned along with any app that comes from COMMUNIST CHINA



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTK41UvWJpY

[roamer_1]

I'm rather mixed about this.


I don't like the Government to ban things however after I'm seeing on how TikTok collects data and SENDS IT TO COMMUNIST CHINA let alone these so-called challenges that are killing people I think it should be banned along with any app that comes from COMMUNIST CHINA

There's the punchline. And I am in the very same boat.

The primary point I believe is not the censorship issue, but rather the undue influence of a foreign power.

But it's touchy. That's why I brought it here.

[roamer_1]

Probably too broad a prohibition, and likely to be thrown out on First Amendment grounds.

So TikTok has a right to publish?

[Kamaji]

So TikTok has a right to publish?

Individual users have the right to use it.

[roamer_1]

Individual users have the right to use it.

Why?

[kevindavis007]

There's the punchline. And I am in the very same boat.

The primary point I believe is not the censorship issue, but rather the undue influence of a foreign power.

But it's touchy. That's why I brought it here.

It is a touchy subject.....


For example, I don't want the Government to say what kind of app we should be or shouldn't be allowed to use, however, an App like TikTok or any app from China should be banned.  Believe it or not, it is a national security issue.

[Smokin Joe]

It is a touchy subject.....


For example, I don't want the Government to say what kind of app we should be or shouldn't be allowed to use, however, an App like TikTok or any app from China should be banned.  Believe it or not, it is a national security issue.

I can see how novel malware could be inserted into a widely used application and achieve literally viral distribution in short order, bringing down entire networks. So, yes, I do see the potential for national security issues.

[Kamaji]

Why?

Because it's a means of expressing themselves and exercising their first amendment rights.

Let's see what a court has to say about it.

[berdie]

Here is my question from my computer illiterate brain.

From what I have read, sites from all over the world can be accessed from everywhere.

So what stops people that want to access TikTok from the back door?

[roamer_1]

It is a touchy subject.....


For example, I don't want the Government to say what kind of app we should be or shouldn't be allowed to use, however, an App like TikTok or any app from China should be banned.  Believe it or not, it is a national security issue.

I see that. The problem there is that absolutely every other thing is allowed to spy on us and use the spyware platform that modern phones undoubtedly are... Except China.

The primary problem is the overweening privacy issue in the first place, that our own government has no problem with... and in fact uses for its own devices.

[roamer_1]

Because it's a means of expressing themselves and exercising their first amendment rights.

Let's see what a court has to say about it.

It's weird.

For the sake of the argument, let's stipulate that the app is indeed a government sponsored spyware, or at least a means to control and influence user's opinions... posing a real undue influence of a foreign power.

So can the app be bifurcated from the speech? Banning the app is not necessarily banning the speech. I just checked. It can be accessed over the web without the app... even on my phone through a browser. Of course I didn't log on. but it seems operational through html... Less full time tracking and such, I suppose.

Stipulate further, that there is a real denial of speech...

It's a monkey knot either way.
I honestly don't know how to weight it.

I tend to fall toward natl' security if the baby must be cut in half I guess... There are other means aplenty to exercise speech, and in this case it is not a palpable 'speech in dissent' within the American town square (which would be the speech most likely to injure liberty, being denied...)

[roamer_1]

Here is my question from my computer illiterate brain.

From what I have read, sites from all over the world can be accessed from everywhere.

So what stops people that want to access TikTok from the back door?

That is the point I am making, to separate the speech from the app... It CAN be accessed over the  web (through your browser). So then is the speech denied at all by banning the app?

[kevindavis007]

I see that. The problem there is that absolutely every other thing is allowed to spy on us and use the spyware platform that modern phones undoubtedly are... Except China.

The primary problem is the overweening privacy issue in the first place, that our own government has no problem with... and in fact uses for its own devices.

They are now..