Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association, which does not count TikTok as a member, has filed a “friend of the court” brief in a lawsuit challenging Montana state law SB 419 that bans TikTok and would fine any digital service $10,000 per day for every Montana resident who is offered access to the popular social media app.
In its brief, CCIA offers its broader view on how this law could impact the internet overall if a business could not make decisions on what experiences and material it wants to offer consumers. CCIA’s brief states that, “Like traditional publishers and distributors of speech, app stores have a First Amendment right to curate the third-party content they provide.”
CCIA has advocated for open access to information online for nearly 30 years. CCIA’s brief discusses the legal principles at stake for app stores if Montana’s TikTok ban becomes effective, rather than the impact on TikTok itself.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Stephanie Joyce:
“Forcing this choice onto app stores violates the First Amendment. Digital service companies in the United States have the right to decide what content to offer their users.”