In anticipation of a ban, Chinese tech giant ByteDance recommends a TikTok substitute

While the United States continues to express security worries regarding ByteDance's ownership of social media powerhouse TikTok, the same business is actively promoting a new product in the country called Lemon8. According to the report, Lemon8, a lifestyle app with an emphasis on health, wellness, and beauty, has been around since its initial release in Japan at the start of 2020. As per reports, it has amassed 17 million downloads worldwide since its release, fast ascending the American charts. It's crucial to examine the state of social media in the United States before attempting to comprehend Lemon8's ascent. TikTok is the most popular short video app right now. U.S. politicians have questioned its capacity to function independently of China and have subjected it to intense scrutiny. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Image credit- NDTV.com[/caption] Senators also grilled TikTok's CEO during a congressional hearing back in March. A number of important voices have suggested that a ban is soon to come into effect. Lemon8, which not only shares a "recommendation algorithm" with TikTok but also incorporates features from Instagram and Pinterest, was intentionally launched by ByteDance at a time when many American consumers were concerned about the future of TikTok. Also read: Govt committee recommends a ban on Cryptocurrency in India It's probable that the business views Lemon8 as an effective substitute, particularly for content producers concerned about their future on TikTok if the service is blocked. Millions of users have already downloaded Lemon8, making it the second most popular lifestyle app in the U.S., according to Data.ai, indicating that the tactic is so far paying off. It's unclear, though, if it will be able to compete with TikTok in terms of popularity or whether U.S. regulators will consider it a suitable alternative to TikTok's security issues. It appears like ByteDance is making every effort to guarantee its continued success in the American market, regardless of the situation. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="5000"] Image credit- CNBC[/caption] According to Lindsay Gorman, Senior Fellow for Emerging Tech at The German Marshall Fund, ByteDance's decision to invite creators to Lemon8 may be viewed as a competitive maneuver as the firm comes under closer scrutiny from American politicians. She added that Lemon8 might provide a platform for content producers to continue working in the case of a potential ban on TikTok. In agreement with Gorman, analyst Glenn Gerstell of the Center for Strategic and International Studies stated that if TikTok is indeed outlawed in the United States, Lemon8 may be able to offer content creators a new venue. He pointed out that the app's users will continue to use it and be able to publish material on the platform even if the U.S. market is closed off to it.