US Justice Department Allows TikTok on Federal Government Devices Again

The TikTok app is now permitted on U.S. government devices after the Justice Department said changes to the platform's ownership and data management addressed previous security concerns.

 

US Lifts TikTok Ban on Federal Government Devices After Ownership Changes

WASHINGTON — July 17, 2026

The U.S. Justice Department has concluded that federal employees may once again download TikTok on government-issued devices, reversing restrictions introduced in 2022 over national security concerns.

The department said the earlier ban no longer applies because TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, completed the transfer of control over the app's U.S. user data and operations to a joint venture known as TikTok USDS in January.

According to a legal opinion released on Friday, the current version of TikTok no longer presents the national security risks that prompted the original restrictions. The memorandum also stated that Executive Branch agencies may allow employees to install the app on official devices at their own discretion, provided they follow workplace policies and security requirements.

The agreement establishing TikTok USDS gives American and international investors an 80.1% stake in the venture, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% minority share. The Justice Department said ByteDance's remaining ownership does not materially affect the government's assessment of the platform.

TikTok previously announced that the joint venture would manage and secure U.S. user data, as well as retrain, test and update the platform's recommendation algorithm using Oracle's U.S.-based cloud infrastructure. Oracle is one of the venture's three principal investors.

The decision follows changes made under an agreement reached after a 2024 law required ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. business or face a nationwide ban. Although the law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, President Donald Trump chose not to enforce it while the ownership restructuring moved forward.

Neither the White House nor TikTok immediately responded to requests for comment. TikTok says its new operating structure includes additional data privacy and cybersecurity measures designed to protect the information of its roughly 200 million U.S. users.