Montana has become the first state to ban the social media app TikTok from operating within the state, signaling that hospitals and health systems using the platform for marketing will now be left in limbo, The Washington Post reported May 17.
Gov. Greg Gianforte signed legislation that imposes a fine of $10,000 per day on any mobile store making TikTok available, and on TikTok if the app operates in the state.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2024.
Individual Montana users of TikTok will not be subjected to fines if they are found using the app within the state.
TikTok said in its statement to the Post, "We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana."
The ban comes at a time when hospitals and health systems are increasingly using and joining the app to reach their younger patient demographics. Recently, several hospital and health system marketing leaders told Becker's they're using TikTok to meet patients where they are.
"With 40 percent of social media users finding information on TikTok over Google as a search engine, we saw the opportunity to meet consumers where they are to provide relevant and important information," Christine Kotler, chief marketing and communications officer of Coral Gables-based Baptist Health South Florida, told Becker's.
But with the ban, Montana hospitals and health systems using the video-centric social media platform could be left without an opportunity to reach those younger patients.
The app is currently the second-most popular app for Americans under 35 years old and has 116 million U.S. monthly users on its app, making U.S. consumers the largest population on TikTok, according to Statista.