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US Government Lifts Ban on TikTok for Federal Devices
Key points
- OMB memo lifts ban on TikTok for government devices.
- Justice Department opinion cited American ownership and new algorithm.
- 2022 ban was due to national security concerns over ByteDance ties.
- TikTok USDS Joint Venture now controls the US version of the app.
Ban Officially Lifted
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a memo confirming that TikTok may now be used on government-issued devices. This action formally reverses a 2022 law that had prohibited the app's use on most federal devices.
Reasoning for the Reversal
The OMB memo references an earlier opinion from the Justice Department. This opinion concluded that the 2022 ban is no longer applicable because the current version of TikTok has American owners and utilizes a different recommendation algorithm compared to the version that operated under ByteDance. A deal to spin off the US version of the app was finalized earlier this year.
Background of the Ban
The original ban in 2022 was implemented amid concerns regarding TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, and its ties to China. Government officials, including FBI Director Chris Wray, cited national security risks, although the specific nature of these threats was debated. Lawmakers raised questions about data collection practices and potential influence from the Chinese government on the app's algorithm.
New Ownership Structure
The US version of TikTok is now controlled by TikTok USDS Joint Venture, an entity managed by a group of investors including Oracle and Silver Lake. ByteDance retains a 19.9 percent stake in this company. This change in ownership was a result of a law passed last year requiring ByteDance to sell the app to American owners or face a ban.
Agency Adoption
Following the Justice Department's opinion, several federal agencies have already begun establishing official presences on TikTok. The Department of Transportation, Treasury Department, and Health and Human Services all launched new accounts last month. The White House had previously opened an official account last year.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a memo officially lifting the ban on TikTok for US government-issued devices. This decision follows a Justice Department opinion stating that the 2022 law banning the app no longer applies due to TikTok's current American ownership and revised recommendation algorithm, allowing federal workers to use the app again.