As the U.S. continues to raise security concerns over ByteDance's ownership of social media giant TikTok, the same company is pushing a different product in the United States - Lemon8.
An Analysis of the Success of Lemon8 Following its Launch in 2020
According to the story by CNBC, Lemon8, a lifestyle app focusing on health, wellness, and beauty, has been around since the beginning of 2020 when it was first released in Japan. It has quickly climbed the charts in the U.S., attaining 17 million downloads globally, per Axios, since launch.
To understand the rise of Lemon8, it's important to first look at the state of social media in the U.S. Currently, TikTok is the main short video app on the market. It has come under immense scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers questioning its ability to operate independently of China.
ByteDance Recognizing an Opportunity: The Release of Lemon8
Several influential voices have suggested a ban is imminent, with senators even grilling TikTok's CEO during a congressional hearing back in March. With many U.S. consumers uncertain about the fate of TikTok, ByteDance has strategically released Lemon8, which not only has a similar "recommendation algorithm" as TikTok but also blends elements from Instagram and Pinterest.
It's possible that the company sees Lemon8 as a viable alternative, especially for content creators worried about their future on TikTok if the app gets banned. So far, the strategy seems to be working, as Lemon8 has jumped 693 spots to become the second most downloaded lifestyle app in the U.S., per Data.ai, with millions of users already on board.
ByteDance's Move to Combat Increasing U.S. Scrutiny: Inviting Creators to Lemon8
However, it remains to be seen if it will be able to rival TikTok in terms of popularity and whether or not U.S. regulators will view it as an acceptable solution to the security concerns they have around TikTok. Either way, it looks like ByteDance is doing everything possible to ensure its continued success in the U.S. market.
Lindsay Gorman, Senior Fellow for Emerging Tech at The German Marshall Fund, believes the invitation of creators onto Lemon8 could be seen as a competitive move by ByteDance as the company faces increasing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers.
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The Potential Impact of a Ban on TikTok: Lemon8 as a Solution for U.S. Content Creators
She further stated that in the event of a potential ban on TikTok, Lemon8 could offer a space for content creators to continue operating.
Analysts Glenn Gerstell of the Center for Strategic and International Studies also had similar sentiments with Gorman, saying that Lemon8 could potentially provide a new platform for content creators if TikTok does get banned in the U.S.
He noted that even if the app gets shut out of the U.S. market, its users worldwide will still remain and be able to create content on the platform.
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