On Friday, the U.S. Justice Department said that federal employees may once again download TikTok on government-issued devices, determining that the app no longer poses the national security risks that led to a federal ban in 2022.
Justice Department Says TikTok’s New Structure Addresses Security Concerns
In a memorandum addressed to President Donald Trump, the department said the previous restriction no longer applies following a restructuring by TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance.
The reorganization transferred control of TikTok’s U.S. user data and operations to a new joint venture, TikTok USDS, which the department said changes the security landscape.
“We understand you have since instructed that employees of Executive Branch agencies may download TikTok onto their official devices, subject to the agency’s discretion and consistent with all applicable workplace policies. We now memorialize our prior advice,” the memo said.
