Plan B for TikTok creators: Lemon8 gains popularity amid ban threat

The U.S. government's looming "sell-or-ban" ultimatum for TikTok is reaching a critical point, with the Supreme Court set to hold a hearing on January 10. In anticipation of a potential ban, many content creators have already prepared their "Plan B": migrating to TikTok's sister app, Lemon8. This rising platform, described as a fusion of TikTok, Instagram (IG), and Pinterest, is quietly becoming the new favorite for Gen Z users in the U.S. to share their lifestyles. TikTok has encouraged users to switch to Lemon8 before the forced sale deadline.

Lemon8, a content-sharing platform developed by TikTok's parent company ByteDance, is gaining traction. Lemon8 boasts a little over 1 million daily active users, a 150% increase compared to the same period last year. Over the past month, downloads of Lemon8 have surged, making it one of the top-ranking free apps in Apple's App Store.

Since last year, ByteDance has been aggressively promoting Lemon8 in the U.S. through advertising campaigns and collaborations with influencers. Some TikTok users have shared videos explaining the seamless transition to Lemon8. One video noted, "TikTok actually has a backup app. It's called Lemon8. It automatically uses your TikTok login, so you can keep the same TikTok username and even transfer your followers. Once you add Lemon8, it will automatically pop up on your TikTok profile, and people can click on it directly."

TikTok has stated that if the U.S. government wins the case, it will not separate from its parent company but instead plans to shut down the platform in the U.S. by January 19. For many U.S.-based content creators, Lemon8 has emerged as the most viable alternative if federal legislation bans TikTok.

However, Reuters has pointed out that U.S. federal regulations target ByteDance and its control over its apps. This means that while Lemon8 and another ByteDance app, CapCut, are not specifically mentioned in the regulations, their future in the U.S. could also be at risk.

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