Federal employees are now allowed to download TikTok on government devices following a yearslong ban, as confirmed by a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo. This policy reversal comes after ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, transferred control of the app's U.S. user data and operations to TikTok U.S. Data Security (TikTok USDS), a majority American-owned joint venture, with the deal finalized in January. According to the divestiture agreement, American and global investors now own 80.1% of the new joint venture, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% minority stake. The DOJ stated that ByteDance's minority ownership 'makes no practical difference' to the security of U.S. user data [1].
The original ban on TikTok for federal workers was enacted in 2022 due to national security concerns. However, the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel determined that the restructuring eliminated the risks that prompted the ban, stating that the American-controlled version of TikTok 'poses no such risk.' The DOJ opinion, addressed to the deputy counsel to President Donald Trump, noted that Executive Branch agencies may now permit employees to download TikTok, subject to agency discretion and workplace policies [1].
ByteDance's divestiture was mandated by a 2024 law, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024. The law required ByteDance to divest control of TikTok’s U.S. operations or face the app being barred from U.S. app stores and internet-hosting services. TikTok challenged the law on constitutional grounds, but on January 17, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the authority to impose the sell-or-ban ultimatum due to 'well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok's data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.' The law was scheduled to take effect on January 19, 2025, but enforcement was delayed by President Trump after his return to office, allowing more time for investor interest [1].
Prominent investors in the new joint venture include Oracle, Silver Lake, and Emirati investment firm MGX. The new venture announced in January that U.S. user data would be protected in Oracle’s secure cloud, and TikTok’s recommendation algorithm would be retrained using U.S. user data [1].
CONCLUSION
The DOJ's approval for federal employees to download TikTok marks a significant shift in U.S. policy, following ByteDance's divestiture and the establishment of a majority American-owned joint venture. The move addresses previous national security concerns and signals renewed regulatory confidence in TikTok's U.S. operations.