DOJ says it's no longer illegal to download TikTok on federal devices - CBS News
The U.S. Justice Department has issued an opinion stating that federal laws banning TikTok on government devices no longer apply to the current version of the app. This follows a restructuring of TikTok's U.S. operations, which shifted ownership to a joint venture with American investors.
Why it matters
This decision marks a significant shift in U.S. policy regarding national security concerns over foreign-owned software and could set a precedent for how federal agencies handle similar technology restrictions.
The Justice Department determined this week a federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies to the social video app.The written opinion from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel — an office that offers legal advice to the executive branch — was issued six months after TikTok's U.S.-based operations were shifted to a new joint venture mostly made up of American investors. The social network's prior ownership by Beijing-based ByteDance, which still holds a minority stake, had drawn years of national security concerns and caused TikTok to face a looming nationwide ban.In late 2022, Congress passed bipartisan legislation that required executive branch agencies to remove TikTok from federal devices.
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