As US lawmakers debate whether to ban TikTok nationwide, its Chinese parent company ByteDance has been pushing its Instagram-like app to American social media users. According to the New York Post, ByteDance is paying TikTok influencers to push Lemon8, an Instagram-clone to generate buzz and engagement.
One influencer told The Post that shortly after the House passed the bill aiming to ban the popular video platform, she was offered $200 to upload a video that promotes Lemon8 on TikTok. Another influencer who has 362,700 followers on TikTok, said she is working with ByteDance to build a following on Lemon8 where she has just 66 followers. Several other TikTok influencers have posted videos promoting Lemon8 that include a link to download the app. Notably, efforts to popularise the new app have been ongoing since last year.
The push comes as the US House of Representatives recently approved a bill that would force TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner or get banned from the United States. The legislation threatens to be a major setback for the video-sharing app, which has surged in popularity across the world.
What is Lemon8?
As per the Washington Post, Lemon8 describes itself as a ''lifestyle community'' and functions like a mash-up of Pinterest and Instagram. The photo-based app allows users to post, save and share images and text under different categories such as fashion, food, beauty, wellness and travel.
Like TikTok, Lemon8's main feed also features a "following" section that lets users look at content from creators they follow, as well as a "For You" section that recommends other posts.
It was first launched in Japan in 2020 and subsequently in countries like Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. It was introduced in the US in February 2023 and has more than 4.25 million active users there.
The app's description on Play Store reads, ''Lemon8 is THE destination for sharing and exploring. On Lemon8, photo and video content are refreshing, diverse and informative. Whether you're a fashion enthusiast, beauty lover or looking for a food recipe, or travel itinerary, there's something for everyone on Lemon8. All you have to do is browse, record and engage with what you like, and you'll find personalized content just for you.''
About ByteDance
ByteDance has rocketed in recent years to become one of the most valuable companies in the world, worth around $225 billion. ByteDance launched TikTok in 2017, and the app took the world by storm, crossing a billion users in four years.
Thanks to the explosive growth of its apps, ByteDance has branched out into e-commerce and travel bookings and also released a video editing app. The Chinese company says it has more than 150,000 employees in almost 120 cities around the world. In 2023, ByteDance's sales crossed $110 billion, Bloomberg reported in December, a figure greater than Chinese tech giant Tencent's estimated revenues that year.
