What is Lemon8? Social media owned by TikTok may also be banned

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Content creators are flocking to a new social media platform in anticipation of a ban on TikTok that could be implemented in less than two weeks. However, the two apps are owned by the same Chinese parent company and may both become unavailable if the ban is introduced.

Lemon 8a social media platform described as a “lifestyle community” has quickly become the no. 1 app i Apple App Store and has been downloaded by more than 10 million Google Play Store users from Tuesday.

Lemon8 works a bit like TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest, all rolled into one. The platform, per description in the Apple App Store, is proud to offer a one-stop shop for photo/video editing and sharing.

The Lemon8 app is developed and owned by ByteDance, the Chinese company that also owns TikTok. Last spring, President Joe Biden signed legislation in law that would require ByteDance to sell TikTok and other apps by January 19. If ByteDance doesn’t, TikTok and all other ByteDance-owned apps, in this case Lemon8, will be banned in the US. will no longer be available for download in app stores, and ISPs will be required to ban associated websites.

Here’s what you need to know about Lemon8 and how the TikTok ban could affect it.

When was Lemon8 released?

Lemon8 was released in Asian markets in 2020 and in the US in February 2023.

Does ByteDance own Lemon8?

Yes, Lemon8 is developed and owned by ByteDance, the Chinese company that also developed and owns TikTok.

Will Lemon8 get banned if TikTok gets banned?

Lemon8 is not explicitly named in App to protect Americans from foreign adversary surveillance applicationswhich would implement the ban on TikTok. However, the legislation addresses “any other application or service developed or provided by ByteDance.” Therefore, Lemon8 may be affected.

Christopher Krepich, communications director for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said Forbes that Lemon8 would be prohibited by law. The House committee supported the legislation.

TikTok, Lemon8 or the House Committee on Energy and Commerce did not immediately respond for comment when contacted by USA TODAY on Tuesday.

Another popular video editing app may also be banned

CapCut − Video Editor, is another popular app owned by ByteDance that may be banned in the States on January 19th. The app provides a mobile-friendly way to edit videos. As of Tuesday, the app was no. 1 photo and video app that was downloaded from Apple App Store and had been downloaded more than a billion times from Google Play Store.

Greta Cross is a national trends reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].