The U.S. Department of Justice has concluded that the No TikTok on Government Devices Act no longer applies to the current version of TikTok operating in the United States. As a result, federal agencies may once again allow employees to download and use the app on government-issued devices, subject to each agency’s own workplace policies.
The decision comes nearly six months after ByteDance finalized a restructuring agreement that created TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, an American-controlled company responsible for TikTok’s U.S. operations. Under the agreement, American and global investors own 80.1% of the venture, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% minority stake.
DOJ says security concerns have been addressed
According to the Justice Department’s legal opinion, the new ownership structure and security measures sufficiently address the concerns that led Congress to prohibit TikTok on government devices in 2022.
The department pointed to safeguards introduced through the joint venture, including storing U.S. user data and securing TikTok’s recommendation algorithm on Oracle’s cloud infrastructure. The memo also stated that ByteDance’s remaining minority ownership does not materially affect the government’s assessment of the platform’s security.
The updated guidance reverses a policy that had stood for more than three years, during which federal employees were generally barred from installing TikTok on official devices.
Latest step in TikTok’s U.S. restructuring
The reversal traces back to legislation Congress passed requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban.
Rather than shut the platform down in the United States, TikTok completed a restructuring in January 2026 that placed its American business under the newly formed TikTok USDS Joint Venture. The company said the new entity is responsible for protecting U.S. user data, applications and recommendation systems through enhanced cybersecurity and privacy measures.
The ruling applies only to federal government devices. Even so, it marks a significant milestone in TikTok’s effort to show that its U.S. operations now run independently from its Chinese parent company.