The US Department of Justice has announced a significant change in policy regarding the use of TikTok on government devices. Following a 2022 law that banned federal employees from using the short-form video app on their official devices, the DOJ has reportedly stated that the law no longer applies. This decision comes after a deal was reached transferring ownership of TikTok's US operations to a joint venture backed by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX.
According to reports, Oracle serves as the security partner for the new joint venture, while previous owner ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake in the joint venture. The DOJ memo reportedly indicates that President Donald Trump has cleared federal employees to download TikTok onto their official devices, subject to their agencies' discretion and consistent with all applicable workplace policies.
The ban on TikTok was implemented in 2022 but was delayed on multiple occasions by President Trump. As a result, the app only briefly went offline before service providers were urged to restore access. The decision to reverse the ban has significant implications for federal employees in the US, who are now permitted to use TikTok on their work phones.
While this decision may not have direct implications for UK citizens, it highlights the evolving nature of technology policies and the ongoing debate surrounding social media usage. The UK government has implemented its own policies regarding social media usage in the public sector, which may be worth reviewing in light of this development.
It remains to be seen whether this decision will lead to similar changes in policy in other countries, including the UK. For now, the focus remains on the US, where federal employees can once again download and use TikTok on their official devices.