Senator says US DOJ's TikTok decision is 'deeply concerning'

Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democratic senator from Washington state, expressed deep concern over the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent decision to lift restrictions on TikTok for use on government devices. The move comes after a prolonged ban that had prevented federal employees from downloading the popular social media app on official devices. Cantwell criticized the DOJ for effectively ending the ban, arguing that government devices often store sensitive communications, contact information, and location data, making them prime targets for foreign intelligence gathering. Cantwell raised specific questions about the nature of the relationship between ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, and its U.S. operations. She asked whether operational ties between the two entities have been fully severed, who currently controls the app’s algorithm, and whether ByteDance still retains the ability to access or update it. These concerns stem from longstanding fears among lawmakers and tech experts regarding the potential risks posed by a Chinese-owned platform handling vast amounts of American user data. The current situation follows a series of legislative actions aimed at addressing these security concerns. In 2022, Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act,” designed to prevent the app from being used on federal devices due to fears that user data might be accessible to the Chinese government. This legislation was part of a broader effort to safeguard U.S. government data from potential compromise. President Donald Trump initially signed an executive order in January that granted TikTok additional time to develop a plan for continued operation within the United States. However, growing concerns led to further legislative action. In 2024, a bipartisan vote resulted in a new law requiring TikTok to either divest itself of the app or face a complete ban. TikTok challenged this law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately upheld the constitutionality of the ban. During this period, TikTok temporarily suspended services in the U.S., prompting intervention from the Trump administration. A resolution emerged in the form of the TikTok USDS Joint Venture, a partnership involving U.S. and global investors such as Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. Under this arrangement, these investors would hold an 80.1 percent stake in the joint venture, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9 percent share. Despite this restructuring, skepticism remained among certain lawmakers and cybersecurity experts. They argued that the extent of ByteDance’s influence over the app’s operations and data access was unclear. ByteDance has consistently denied claims that any user data could be compromised, maintaining that the company has taken sufficient measures to ensure data security. In January, TikTok USDS announced plans to implement stronger trust and safety policies to protect the U.S. content ecosystem. The U.S. Department of Justice issued a 12-page memo expressing confidence in these assurances. It stated that TikTok USDS no longer possessed the problematic ownership structure that had previously raised concerns about potential threats to federal government information. As a result, the DOJ concluded that the app is no longer subject to the No TikTok on Government Devices Act. However, the final decision on whether federal employees can install TikTok on their government devices rests with individual agencies. While the DOJ has lifted the blanket ban, each agency retains the authority to determine its own policy regarding the app’s usage. This leaves room for continued debate and scrutiny over the potential risks associated with allowing TikTok onto government networks.