Federal Judge Halts Montana's TikTok Ban Before Implementation

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a law in Montana that aimed to ban TikTok across the state, stating that it "oversteps state power" and "likely violates the First Amendment." The judge found the national security case against TikTok unconvincing and noted an "anti-Chinese sentiment" in the law. The ruling is preliminary, with a final determination expected next year. Montana was the first state to pass an outright ban on the app, and the case is seen as a test for state-level bans. TikTok has faced scrutiny over concerns about user data and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.