ByteDance Rushes to Push TikTok Users to Lemon8 as US Ban Approaches
ByteDance appears to be actively steering TikTok users toward Lemon8, their Instagram-like alternative platform, as the TikTok ban in the US approaches. The company is integrating both platforms and promoting Lemon8 heavily through sponsored content on TikTok.
Hand holding smartphone displaying Lemon8 app
Since November 2024, ByteDance has implemented close integration between the two platforms:
- TikTok usernames now work on Lemon8
- TikTok data powers Lemon8 services
- Lemon8 profile links appear on TikTok profiles by default
Lemon8's growth metrics:
- Over 1 million daily active users since October 2024
- Double the user engagement compared to previous year
- Still significantly smaller than TikTok's user base
However, this strategy faces a significant obstacle: The new law targets all ByteDance-owned apps, not just TikTok. This includes:
- Lemon8
- Gauth
- SoundOn
- CapCut
- Hypic
Despite ByteDance's efforts to promote Lemon8 through sponsored posts suggesting it as a "backup app," the platform's future remains uncertain under the same regulatory scrutiny that affects TikTok.
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