The Montana legislature is in session. Our legislature is debating hundreds of proposed bills and laws that can have a lasting impact in our state for years to come. We have been keeping you updated on some of the bills that are being introduced. There have been bills regarding education issues. There have been bills introduced regarding marijuana use in Montana. There is another bill that has been introduced, Senate Bill 419 which aims to ban the social media platform TikTok in Montana.

The Montana TikTok Ban Video Has Gone Viral

SB 419 was introduced by Shelley Vance from Belgrade, Montana. TikTok has been in the national spotlight recently when the CEO of TikTok appeared before Congress. The debate on whether to ban TikTok on a national level has begun. I was surprised to see the conversation brought up in Montana. I was even more surprised to see the Montana debate go viral.

If TikTok is Banned in Montana, What is Next?

Montana, to me, has always been a state about letting people be themselves and make their own choices, if they aren't hurting anyone else. Montana has a history of a rebellious spirit. For me, banning a social media app is a slippery slope. What will be banned next? If the argument to ban the app is data collection, almost every social media app, website, and search engine collects data. If the argument is safety, what about other social media apps that show the same content? If the argument is that kids are using the app, this app has the same guidelines as other apps. If the argument is the data is going to China, isn't that my choice? Are they going to propose banning all social media platforms next?

Get our free mobile app

As an Adult I Can Make My Own Choices About My Apps

As an adult, if I choose to download an app and agree to the terms of the app, that should be my decision. I don't feel that I need our representatives telling me what apps I can have on my own devices. If my children want to download the app, it is up to me as their parent to have that conversation. If I choose to waste my time on video games, apps, or social media and I am not hurting myself or anyone else, that should be my choice and my choice alone.

LOOK: 20 American foods that raise eyebrows outside of the US

Stacker compiled a list of 20 unusual and uniquely American foods that might raise eyebrows outside the U.S.