Montana has banned TikTok for everyone in the state

There’s been plenty of talk about TikTok getting banned in the United States, but the most that’s happened is the app being prohibited from government workers’ devices – until now. The state of Montana has become the first to ban TikTok for all its residents.

On Wednesday, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a bill prohibiting mobile app stores from offering TikTok. The law comes into effect in January next year, after which point any “entity,” including TikTok, that offers the ability to access the platform or download the app will risk fines of up to $10,000 per day.

The penalties do not apply to users, so you won’t have to delete TikTok if it’s already on your device, and sideloading it or using a VPN won’t get you fined.

The governor said the move was to protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.