Attorney General Jason Miyares, alongside 18 other states, has filed an amicus brief in support of Montana’s legislation aimed at requiring TikTok to separate from its parent company ByteDance. The legislation, which mirrors federal legislation that recently passed unanimously out of a House Committee, seeks to protect the data and privacy of Montanans.
Speaking on the matter, Attorney General Miyares emphasized the importance of protecting citizens from foreign threats, stating, “Montana has the authority and responsibility to protect its citizens from foreign threats to their data and privacy. TikTok’s extensive connections to our country’s most dangerous adversary exposes the data of Montanans—and all Americans—to the thugs of the Chinese Communist Party. This is an unacceptable risk to consumers, and Montana is right to confront it.”
The brief filed by the attorneys general points out the significant reach of TikTok, noting that it was the second most downloaded mobile application worldwide last year, with a large user base in the United States. The legislators underscore that the purpose of the legislation is not to ban TikTok or target specific content but rather to safeguard data and privacy by requiring the app to divest from its Chinese parent company.
Highlighting the addictive nature of social media platforms and the potential negative impact on mental health, the brief also outlines TikTok’s extensive ties to the Chinese government. The coalition of states supporting the amicus brief includes Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
The move to defend Montana’s TikTok legislation comes as part of ongoing efforts to address concerns surrounding data security and privacy in the digital age.