After TikTok Ban, Montana Axes 3 More Social Media Apps For Alleged Ties To 'Foreign Adversaries'

Montana expanded a social media ban beyond TikTok to include popular apps Telegram, WeChat and Temu, citing concerns about data sharing with “foreign adversaries.” 

What Happened: Montana Governor Greg Gianforte made a significant move on Wednesday by extending the state-wide ban beyond TikTok and targeting messaging apps like Telegram and WeChat, as well as the shopping app Temu, due to concerns of their alleged ties to foreign adversaries. 

In his directive, Gianforte also pointed out ByteDance’s CapCut video editor and Lemon8 as examples of apps to be banned, indicating a focus on Chinese-linked platforms. 

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While Telegram has its roots in Russia, the governor’s letter suggests concerns about the Russian government’s potential use of the app for monitoring and obtaining personal information. 

Starting from June 1, Montana will implement its new policy, prohibiting the installation of apps like WeChat and Telegram on all state-issued devices such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers and other internet-connected devices. 

This ban affects widely-used messaging platforms known for their chat functionalities while also impacting the popular shopping app Temu, which currently holds the top spot as the most downloaded free app in the U.S. on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Why It’s Important: Montana’s ban on TikTok could set a new precedent for the extent to which lawmakers can restrict the operations of a private company, particularly a Chinese-owned one, which has been a concern in the U.S. 

Previously, the Trump administration failed to compel ByteDance to sell the app to an American buyer. Even the Biden government faced similar hurdles. 

On the other hand, Telegram has faced its fair share of issues. Regular chats on the platform are not end-to-end encrypted, unlike “private” ones. The Pavel Durov-founded messaging platform also faced criticism amid the Ukrainian crisis for being a source of misinformation. 

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