TikTok returns to US government devices after years of ban

The US government has lifted its ban on TikTok for federal employees, allowing them to use the app on government devices after years of restrictions. The change follows a new memo from the Office of Management and Budget. The 2022 ban no longer applies to the current version of TikTok, based on a Justice Department opinion that the app is now owned by American entities and uses a different recommendation algorithm. The US version is operated by "Project TikTok" with investors including Oracle and Silver Lake, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake. Several agencies, including the Transportation, Treasury, and Health departments, have already created official accounts on the platform in the past month. The White House had previously established an account, marking a clear shift from the contentious period over TikTok's ownership and data practices.