US federal employees are once again allowed to download and use TikTok on government devices. The Justice Department has ended a restriction that had barred the short-video app over national security concerns.
The reversal follows a completed transfer of control over TikTok user data and US operations. US authorities concluded that the new arrangement had reduced the risks that originally supported the ban.
A New Operating Structure
The central element of the new structure is TikTok USDS, a joint venture that took over responsibility for US user data and operations in January. The entity now plays a key role in separating the platform’s US operations from the concerns that prompted the earlier policy.
TikTok has said that TikTok USDS will train, test, and update the content recommendation algorithm using US user data. The recommendation system is significant because it determines which content is presented to users.
The TikTok USDS system will also be secured through Oracle’s US-based cloud computing services. Oracle is one of the three major investors in the joint venture.
According to Beritasatu.com, citing Reuters, the Justice Department said the 2022 law-based restriction was no longer in effect. TikTok is therefore no longer specifically blocked on official devices used by federal employees.
Ownership Under the Divestment Deal
| Party | TikTok USDS Ownership | Role in the New Structure |
|---|---|---|
| US and global investors | 80.1% | Hold the majority stake |
| ByteDance | 19.9% | Retains a minority stake |
| Oracle | Not stated | Cloud provider and major investor |
US and global investors hold 80.1% of TikTok USDS under the divestment agreement. ByteDance retains 19.9%, leaving the Chinese parent company with a minority holding.
The Justice Department concluded that this minority stake no longer gives ByteDance significant influence over TikTok’s US operations. That assessment was one of the important grounds for lifting the restriction on federal devices.
Why TikTok Was Restricted
The original ban was not solely about whether employees could access an app on work-issued devices. It reflected concerns over user-data management and ByteDance’s influence on TikTok’s US operations.
The Justice Department presented its changed position in a document addressed to President Donald Trump. In that document, the version of TikTok now operating in the United States was judged no longer to pose a security threat.
The decision does not describe a simple return to the previous operating model. It is based on a restructured version of TikTok in which data management, operations, and recommendation systems are handled through TikTok USDS.
For federal employees, the immediate result is that TikTok can again be downloaded and used on government devices. The policy change rests on the divestment arrangement and the use of US-based cloud infrastructure for the system.
What the Decision Changes
The end of the restriction formally closes a policy introduced during the 2022 era of heightened security concerns around TikTok. It also shows how ownership and operational controls became central to the US government’s new assessment.
ByteDance remains an investor, but its reduced ownership is part of the structure reviewed by the Justice Department. The new model places the management of US user data and core operational functions within TikTok USDS.