Rednote, Lemon8: What to know about the possible alternatives to TikTok
FILE-The Lemon8 app is downloaded on a smartphone. ( Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
TikTok’s uncertain future in the U.S. has some users searching for other social media platforms to consume and create content.
What is Lemon8?
Lemon8 is a photo-based app that is a combination of Instagram and Pinterest and is sprinkled with videos resembling ones posted on TikTok. It launched in the U.S. in 2023, a few years after it debuted in Asian markets.
The social media app collects user data, such as IP address, browsing history, device identifiers and other information. Like TikTok, Lemon8’s main feed has a "following" section that allows users to look at content from creators they follow, and a "For You" section that recommends other posts.
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More people have downloaded Lemon8 in the past month, making it one of the top free apps on Apple’s app store.
What they're saying:
Influencers previously partnered with Lemon8 to promote the lesser-known app on TikTok. Many of them have lauded Lemon8 as the place to go if TikTok is banned under federal law.
The Associated Press reported that some content creators have also recommended it through paid sponsored posts tagged #lemon8partner, showing a new push to get more users.
What is Rednote?
RedNote launched in 2013 and has become one of China’s fastest-growing social platforms, with a value of over $17 billion, the USA Today reported, citing the Financial Times.
The social media platform is known as Xiaohongshu, which means "little red book," has a layout similar to Pinterest and is described as a Chinese version of Instagram. According to TechCrunch, the app’s focus on short-term content, similar to TikTok, has helped it become a legitimate alternative.
Supreme Court to decide on TikTok’s future in U.S.
The Supreme Court heard arguments on Jan. 10 about the law requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations by Jan. 19 or face a ban. The law, passed last year and signed by President Joe Biden, cites national security concerns over the company’s ties to the Chinese government.
What's next:
Lemon8's popularity could possibly increase more depending on the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing. TikTok says it plans to shut down the platform in the U.S. by Jan. 19 if the government prevails, the Associated Press reported.
What is the TikTok law ban?
The law, which passed with bipartisan support, mandates that ByteDance sell TikTok’s U.S. operations by Jan. 19 or face a ban. If the sale is not completed by that date, TikTok will be blocked from U.S. app stores, and existing users will lose access to updates and support. ByteDance has contested the law, claiming it violates First Amendment rights, but the court’s actions suggest it is likely to move forward with the deadline.