The U.S. Justice Department has announced that federal employees are once again permitted to download and use the short-video app TikTok on government-issued devices.
The directive reverses a 2022 law that had explicitly banned the use of the platform on official equipment, marking a significant policy shift in how the federal government manages digital tools and national security concerns.
The move comes amid a broader recalibration of the administration's stance on the Chinese-owned platform.
While the ban on government devices is lifted, the decision does not necessarily resolve the wider legislative and judicial battles surrounding TikTok's data practices and potential ties to Beijing.
The Justice Department's statement indicates that the previous restrictions were deemed no longer necessary for federal operations, though it did not specify whether this change applies to all agencies uniformly or includes specific security protocols.
For technology and media investors, the development underscores the volatility of regulatory risk surrounding TikTok.