TikTok and content creators challenging Montana’s ban face off with the state in federal court

By AMY BETH HANSON and HALELUYA HADERO
Associated Press

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — TikTok and Montana faced off in federal court in a case filed by the video sharing app and five content creators who want the court to temporarily block the state’s ban on the platform before it takes effect on Jan. 1. Attorneys for the plaintiffs argue the state has gone too far in trying to regulate TikTok and is essentially trying to implement foreign policy over “unsubstantiated allegations” that TikTok might share user data with the Chinese government. The state argued the law not about foreign policy, but to address serious concerns about data privacy. U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy said he would rule on the motion for the preliminary injunction as quickly as possible.