As TikTok faces a looming ban in the United States, the popular app’s parent company, ByteDance, appears to be preparing for the worst. In a surprising twist, Lemon8, a lesser-known sister app, has surged to the No. 2 spot on the Apple App Store, becoming a potential safe haven for TikTok users. Content creators, who are scrambling to keep their fanbases, will likely follow suit.
What Is Lemon8?
Lemon8 is a hybrid social media app that combines features from Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. It allows users to share photos, videos, and curated content in a visually appealing interface. According to Jessica Maddox, a digital media expert from the University of Alabama, “If those three apps came together and had a baby, it would be Lemon8.”
The app launched in Japan in 2020 under the name Sharee and debuted in the U.S. and U.K. in early 2023. While initially flying under the radar, its popularity has skyrocketed in recent weeks, driven largely by aggressive promotion on TikTok itself.
TikTok Pushes Lemon8 to the Forefront
With Sunday’s ban looming, TikTok has been encouraging its users to download Lemon8. Ads for the app have been plastered across TikTok, and users have reported receiving direct notifications urging them to make the switch. The platform even allows TikTok users to log in with their existing accounts and follow the same creators they already enjoy.
Some influencers have already begun replicating their TikTok content on Lemon8. For example, fashion influencer Jasmine Chiswell, known for her vintage Hollywood style, reposted a video about lipstick history. While the same video amassed over 1.5 million likes on TikTok, it received less than 10,000 likes on Lemon8, indicating the app still has a way to go in building its audience. Beauty hacks are an extremely popular topic on TikTok, pulling in millions of views regularly.
However, TikTok is also known for some dangerous challenges and bizarre lifehacks which can lead to sickness and even death.
A New Home or Temporary Fix?
While Lemon8 seems poised to take over if TikTok goes dark, its future is also uncertain. The U.S. ban specifically targets TikTok and ByteDance, but the law could extend to other ByteDance-owned apps, including Lemon8. So far, neither the government nor ByteDance has clarified Lemon8’s status.
For now, Lemon8 offers a lifeline for users worried about losing their TikTok communities. The app caters to diverse interests, from food and fashion to gaming and music, making it an appealing alternative for creators and audiences alike.
What’s Next?
If TikTok does disappear, Lemon8 could become a critical player in the social media landscape. However, with the possibility of legal scrutiny still looming, its long-term survival is unclear. For users, creators, and ByteDance, the next few days will be crucial in determining whether Lemon8 can truly fill TikTok’s shoes—or whether it will face the same challenges.