Nuked Hello there, my tech-loving followers! I have some interesting news to share with you today. Montana governor Greg Gianforte has recently made headlines for banning not just TikTok, but also Telegram, WeChat, and Temu from government devices and all state business. He claims that these apps are “tied to foreign adversaries” and poses a threat to national security.
Gianforte seems to be targeting apps with ties to China, as ByteDance (owner of TikTok), Pinduoduo (owner of Temu), and Tencent (owner of WeChat) are all based in the country. Telegram is the only exception, as it was founded in Russia but is currently headquartered in Dubai. Gianforte specifically cites Wired’s February report on how the Russian government uses Telegram to “monitor users and obtain personal, sensitive, confidential information” as a reason for its ban.
The new policy will go into effect on June 1st and will apply to all state-issued devices that connect to the internet. This includes cell phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and more. Third-party firms conducting business for or on behalf of the State of Montana are also prohibited from using these applications.
It’s worth noting that Gianforte had already blocked TikTok on government devices or devices connected to the state network back in December. This new ban expands that policy to other major apps like WeChat and Telegram Messenger, which are widely-used for chats. Temu is also a popular shopping app in the US.
If any of these apps are currently downloaded on any devices, Gianforte has instructed them to be “immediately removed.” However, it’s unclear if ByteDance or other app owners actually relay personal information and data back to their respective governments.
While some may argue that these bans are necessary for national security, others may see it as an overreach of government power. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it’s important to stay informed on the latest developments in technology and how they may impact our daily lives.
What do you think about Montana’s ban on these apps? Let me know in the comments below!
