Is TikTok getting banned in the US? Given the app’s controversy, that’s a question on many people’s minds. Here’s a look at the attempts to ban TikTok in the country, along with why the US has considered banning TikTok.

Has the US Government Banned TikTok?

The ByteDance-owned app has come under scrutiny from the US government during both the Trump and Biden eras, but no nationwide ban is in place at the time of writing. Donald Trump was a vocal critic of TikTok when in office from 2016 to 2020, and as reported byCNN, the former US President announced his intentions to ban the app in August 2020.

Trump wasn’t successful in banning TikTok during his presidency, but the scrutiny of the app hasn’t stopped under the Biden administration.Reutersreported in March 2023 that Brooke Oberwetter, a spokesperson for TikTok, told the news network that the Biden administration had demanded that the Chinese owners of the apps divest or TikTok could face a ban.

While the US hasn’t blanket-banned the controversial app,several countries have banned TikTok. India is one high-profile example.

Have Any US States Banned TikTok?

Montana banned TikTok in May 2023, with Governor George Gianforte agreeing to legislation that was supposed to bring the ban into effect starting January 2024. But that has not been successful at the time of writing.

In November 2023, Montana’s TikTok ban was blocked by a federal judge. As reported byNPR, Federal Judge Donald Molloy argued that the attempted ban “likely violates the First Amendment”. At the beginning of 2024, the state appealed the block.

Montana isn’t the only state that’s been critical of the short-form video app. AsReutersreported in September 2023, the state’s decision to ban the app received support from 18 state attorneys. The group was led by Virginia and also included Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, and Georgia.

They argued that TikTok “intentionally engages in deceptive business practices”, and that sensitive personal information that users share “can easily be accessed by the Chinese Communist Party”. Critics also argued that “TikTok’s platform harms children in Montana”.

What Restrictions Does TikTok Have in the US?

While ordinary users across the US still have access to TikTok, restrictions exist for many public sector workers. The app is banned on almost all federal government devices, with theNo TikTok on Government Devices Actpassing through the Senate in December 2022.

The bill states that:

“This bill requires the social media video application TikTok to be removed from the information technology of federal agencies.

“Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to develop standards for executive agencies that require TikTok and any successor application from the developer to be removed from agency information technology (e.g., devices). Such standards must include exceptions for law enforcement activities, national security interests, and security researchers.”

At a state level, over 30 US states have restrictions on TikTok for state-owned devices in some fashion—as reported byYahoo Finance. Texas, Nevada, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee are among those to ban TikTok on all state devices.

Maine, Florida, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have banned TikTok on state devices in some capacity.

Why Has the US Considered Banning TikTok?

Many people in the US (and elsewhere) have argued thatTikTok is dangerous to personal privacy and security, with multiple reasons cited. Some are worried about the possibility of sensitive data being passed on to the Chinese Communist Party, which is why many US government devices aren’t allowed to install the app.

While TikTok has come under significant scrutiny, it’s not the only Chinese-owned app that has received criticism. At the same time as Trump sought to ban TikTok, WeChat was also included in his restrictions.

Meanwhile, Huawei and other tech companies were also brought into the spotlight. These were again due to security concerns, though—as theEvening Standardreported in 2020—Huawei denied that the Chinese government can access its data.

When Is TikTok Getting Banned in the US?

As of January 2024, there are currently no new federal plans to ban TikTok on personal devices in the US. Much of what happens in the future will likely depend on the outcome of Montana’s appeal for the state-wide ban. One could argue that if the decision is overturned, it could inspire the other states that backed Montana to pursue similar legislation.

When it comes to government devices, it’s likely that TikTok will continue to be banned in many states and on a federal level. It’s likely that the only way those bans will ever get overturned is if significant changes are made to data laws.