Washington: The US Justice Department has said federal employees can now download and use TikTok on government-issued devices, reversing a restriction introduced in 2022 over national security concerns.
In a memorandum released on Friday, the department said the earlier ban no longer applies after TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, completed a restructuring of its US operations. Under the agreement, control of TikTok’s US user data and operations has been transferred to a joint venture known as TikTok USDS, which became operational in January.
The Justice Department said the current version of TikTok no longer presents the national security risks that prompted the original restrictions. The opinion also noted that President Donald Trump had instructed executive branch agencies that employees may download TikTok on official devices, subject to each agency’s discretion and workplace policies.
According to the agreement, American and global investors now own 80.1% of TikTok USDS, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% minority stake. The Justice Department said ByteDance’s remaining ownership does not materially affect the venture’s independence or security safeguards.
TikTok previously said the new venture would retrain, test and update its recommendation algorithm using US user data, with the system secured through Oracle’s cloud infrastructure. The company said the arrangement is designed to strengthen data privacy and cybersecurity protections for its estimated 200 million US users.
The decision marks a significant shift in the US government’s approach to TikTok after years of scrutiny. A 2024 law had required ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets or face a nationwide ban, but the measure was not enforced following the restructuring agreement, allowing the popular short-video platform to continue operating in the United States.
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