The US Department of Justice has announced that federal employees may now download TikTok on official government devices, following a change in policy linked to a new ownership and operational arrangement involving the short-video platform's US operations. The decision marks a shift from restrictions introduced in 2022, when a federal law prohibited government employees from using TikTok on official devices over national security concerns related to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

According to the Justice Department, the earlier restrictions no longer apply because of an agreement that transferred control of TikTok's US user data and operations to a new joint venture, TikTok USDS. The department said the updated structure addresses previous security concerns by placing greater oversight of American user data and platform operations under the new arrangement. However, agencies will still have discretion over whether employees can install the application on government-issued devices based on workplace policies.

TikTok stated in January that the joint venture would retrain, test, and update the platform's content recommendation algorithm using US user data. The company said the algorithm would be secured through Oracle's US-based cloud infrastructure, with Oracle serving as one of the venture's major investors. The arrangement is intended to strengthen data protection measures and limit concerns about foreign access to sensitive information.

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The divestiture agreement reportedly allows American and international investors to hold an 80.1% stake in the joint venture, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% ownership share. The Justice Department said ByteDance's continued minority stake does not create a practical difference in the operation of TikTok USDS. ByteDance has also stated that the venture will protect US user data, applications, and algorithms through enhanced privacy and cybersecurity measures.

The policy change follows former President Donald Trump's decision not to enforce a 2024 law requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by a specific deadline or face a potential ban. The measure had been upheld by the Supreme Court before the enforcement decision was delayed. TikTok remains one of the most widely used social media platforms in the United States, with around 200 million American users, while officials continue to monitor data security and national interest concerns surrounding the application.

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