Federal employees can now download TikTok on government devices following a Department of Justice memo that lifts restrictions imposed by a 2022 law. The policy reversal comes after a deal restructured TikTok's U.S. operations under a joint venture backed by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, with Oracle serving as the security partner.
The original 2022 law prohibited federal employees from using the short-form video app on government-issued devices due to national security concerns. The ban later expanded to a broader prohibition across the United States that took effect in early 2024. However, the app experienced only a brief outage before President Trump intervened with repeated delays and urged service providers to restore access.
Under the new ownership structure, ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake in the U.S. operations while Oracle assumes responsibility for security oversight. The DOJ memo states that President Trump has authorized employees of executive branch agencies to download TikTok onto official devices, though the decision remains subject to individual agency discretion and existing workplace policies.
The policy change affects thousands of federal employees who previously faced restrictions on accessing the popular social media platform through government equipment. While the ban on government devices is lifted, agencies maintain authority to implement their own policies regarding TikTok use on official hardware.
Federal employees should consult their agency's information technology and security policies before downloading TikTok on government devices. Agencies may still impose restrictions based on their specific security requirements and operational needs. Employees should verify current policies with their IT departments and ensure compliance with all applicable workplace guidelines regarding social media use on official equipment.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/18/federal-employees-can-download-tiktok-on-their-work-phones-again/