TikTok Federal Devices Ban Ends After U.S. Ownership Deal
The TikTok federal devices ban is no longer being enforced after a new U.S.-backed ownership structure changed the DOJ’s legal assessment.
TikTok Federal Devices Ban Ends After U.S. Ownership Deal
Federal employees can once again download TikTok on government-issued devices after the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that the law behind the federal ban no longer applies to the app’s new U.S. ownership structure. The decision reverses a restriction introduced over national security concerns. It follows the completion of a deal that transferred control of TikTok’s U.S. user data and operations to a new joint venture backed by Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake.
The change does not mean every federal employee is automatically allowed to install TikTok. The DOJ memo reportedly says employees of Executive Branch agencies may download the app subject to individual agency discretion and existing workplace policies. Why the TikTok federal devices ban has changed The original restriction came from a 2022 law that prohibited TikTok on federal government devices. The measure was driven by concerns over the possibility that the Chinese government could acces…
