Federal Devices Can Now Legally Download Tiktok, DOJ Confirms

WHO:

CBS News - The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel

CBS News - ByteDance, the Beijing-based company that previously owned TikTok

CBS News - President Trump, who directed the Justice Department regarding TikTok

CBS News - Oracle, a tech company involved in the new joint venture

CBS News - Larry Ellison, chairman of Oracle, and his son David Ellison, CEO of Paramount

WHAT:

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel issued a 12-page opinion stating that "Congress banned only the version of TikTok that shares the same problematic ownership features."

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department's opinion noted that agencies can still "independently decide to ban the downloading of TikTok to government devices for workforce management reasons, such as promoting employee productivity."

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The new joint venture, TikTok U.S. Data Security (TikTok USDS), promised intense cybersecurity controls and plans to retrain TikTok's recommendation algorithm using data from American users.

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel issued a memo stating that federal employees can now download TikTok on government devices, reversing the previous ban.

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department's opinion was issued after ByteDance transferred TikTok's U.S. operations to a majority American-owned joint venture called TikTok U.S. Data Security (TikTok USDS).

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel issued a 12-page opinion stating that the federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies to the current version of TikTok available in the U.S.

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department noted that it is up to individual federal agencies to decide whether to allow TikTok on their devices, and agencies can still independently choose to ban it for workforce management reasons.

CBS News - The Justice Department determined that a federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies.

CBS News - The ban on downloading TikTok was driven by national security concerns regarding data potentially reaching the Chinese government.

CBS News - A new joint venture called TikTok U.S. Data Security (TikTok USDS) was formed, with mostly U.S.-based investors taking a majority stake in TikTok's U.S. operations.

CBS News - ByteDance retained a 19.9% stake in TikTok USDS, just under the 20% cap set by law.

CBS News - The Justice Department's opinion stated that "Congress banned only the version of TikTok that shares the same problematic ownership features."

WHERE:

CBS News - The decision affects federal devices in the United States.

WHEN:

CBS News - The Justice Department's opinion was issued six months after TikTok's U.S.-based operations were shifted to the new joint venture.

CBS News - Legislation passed in late 2022 required executive branch agencies to remove TikTok from federal devices.

CBS News - Legislation passed in 2024 would effectively ban TikTok from the U.S. unless ByteDance divested from U.S. operations by January 2025.

CBS News - The deal to shift ownership was finalized in January 2026.

WHY:

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The reversal of the ban was based on the change in ownership structure of TikTok, which alleviated previous national security concerns.

CBS News - The initial ban was based on fears that data from TikTok could be accessed by the Chinese government.

CBS News - The Justice Department's opinion reflects a change in ownership structure that alleviates previous national security concerns.

HOW:

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department indicated that the decision allows for the downloading of TikTok on federal devices, subject to agency discretion and applicable workplace policies.

[11:53 PM EDT] - CBS News - The Justice Department's opinion indicated that employees of Executive Branch agencies may download TikTok onto their official devices, subject to agency discretion and applicable workplace policies.

CBS News - The new joint venture promised intense cybersecurity controls and plans to retrain TikTok's recommendation algorithm using data from American users.

CBS News - Oracle will "review and validate source code on an ongoing basis" as part of the new arrangement.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 17:15 UTC)

The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel has issued a 12-page opinion stating that Congress only banned the version of TikTok with problematic ownership features, which means the app can now be downloaded on federal devices, although agencies can still decide to restrict it for productivity reasons. The reversal of the ban was influenced by a change in TikTok's ownership structure, addressing earlier national security concerns. Additionally, the new joint venture, TikTok U.S. Data Security, has committed to implementing stringent cybersecurity measures and retraining the app's recommendation algorithm using data from American users.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 14:20 UTC)

The Justice Department has announced that federal employees are now permitted to download TikTok on government devices, reversing a previous ban. This decision follows ByteDance's transfer of TikTok's U.S. operations to a majority American-owned joint venture called TikTok U.S. Data Security, which addressed earlier national security concerns. However, the Justice Department emphasized that the downloading of TikTok will still be subject to agency discretion and relevant workplace policies.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 10:21 UTC)

The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel has issued a 12-page opinion stating that the federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies to the current version of the app available in the U.S. According to this opinion, it will be up to individual federal agencies to decide whether to allow TikTok on their devices, with the option to independently ban it for workforce management reasons. Employees of Executive Branch agencies may download TikTok onto their official devices, but this is subject to agency discretion and applicable workplace policies.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 05:44 UTC)

The Justice Department has determined that a federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies, following the formation of a new joint venture called TikTok U.S. Data Security, or TikTok USDS, which has mostly U.S.-based investors holding a majority stake in TikTok's U.S. operations. ByteDance, the Beijing-based company that previously owned TikTok, retains a 19.9% stake in this new venture, just under the 20% cap set by law, and the Justice Department's opinion indicates that the ban was based on ownership features that have now changed. As part of this arrangement, Oracle will review and validate TikTok's source code on an ongoing basis, while the new joint venture promises enhanced cybersecurity controls and plans to retrain TikTok's recommendation algorithm using data from American users.