U.S. Department of Justice Rules TikTok Can Be Used on Government Devices
The U.S. Department of Justice ruled that TikTok is no longer restricted by the government device ban, as it has restructured into an independent entity controlled by U.S. investors. This alleviates compliance concerns for brands advertising in the U.S.
What are the key facts?
- 1Ruling Date: July 18, 2026
- 2Key Background: TikTok USDS operates independently, with 80.1% ownership by U.S. investors
What happened?
On July 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice ruled that TikTok is no longer subject to government device bans. This ruling is based on TikTok's restructuring into TikTok USDS, which is 80.1% owned by U.S. investors and operated independently of ByteDance, with Oracle responsible for data security.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
The reduction of platform compliance risks will boost brand confidence in advertising, and it is expected that TikTok's advertising ecosystem will attract more budget investments from major brands.