In April 2024, former President Joe Biden signed a law that would ban TikTok in the USA unless it is sold to an owner outside of China within a year.

Since then, everyone from A-list tech leaders to Z-list influencers has been keeping a close eye on the company's movements.

On November 20th, 2024, TikTok and Lemon8 merged as part of a new partnership, sparking rumors across social media as to why the integration was happening.

The new integration with Lemon8 encourages users to sign in to both apps, fueling speculation that it may be an attempt to shift TikTok’s user base to Lemon8 in preparation for a potential national ban.

With news spreading fast that Lemon8 is the 'new TikTok', content creators across the United States are racing towards the app to explore how it works.

Table of Contents

• Why was TikTok banned?
• Who owns Lemon8 and what is the Lemon8 app?
• Is lemon8 getting banned?
• Why has TikTok merged with Lemon8?
• Is Lemon8 safe?
• Will TikTok change following the Lemon8 integration?
• Do I need to have a Lemon8 account to use TikTok?
• How to merge TikTok and Lemon8

Why Was TikTok Banned?

TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, faces a potential ban in the United States due to data privacy and national security concerns. Officials worry that the app could be compelled to share American user data with the Chinese government. In April 2024, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was signed into law, requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19, 2025, or face a ban. 

TikTok has challenged this law, arguing that it violates the First Amendment rights of its users. However, in December 2024, a federal appeals court upheld the legislation. TikTok has since appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency order to block the ban.

President-elect Donald Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok during his first term, has recently met with TikTok's CEO, Shou Chew. While some of his advisors support the ban, citing security threats, it's unclear how the incoming administration will address the issue. 

As the January deadline approaches, the future of both TikTok and Capcut in the U.S. remains uncertain, pending legal decisions and potential policy changes by the new administration.

Who Owns Lemon8 and What is the Lemon8 App?

Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the same Chinese company that owns TikTok. However, the app officially lists Heliophilia as its developer, a private company based in Singapore.

Lemon8 is a video and photo-sharing app that has been likened to both Instagram and Pinterest.

Targeting a Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience, Lemon8 provides users with unique creative tools, collages, filters, effects, stickers, and text templates to create vibrant posts.

Similar to TikTok, their standout features include a community-based 'For You' section, discover-themed hashtags, and in-app editing functions.

Lemon8 state on the App Store: "You'll find a whole library of intuitive templates, stickers, filters, and fonts for your photos and videos,"

Is Lemon8 Getting Banned?

For those seeking TikTok alternatives, Lemon8 has seen a surge in popularity toward the end of 2024. As concerns over TikTok’s future in the U.S. continue, Lemon8 has positioned itself as a rising replacement. The introduction of dual logins, which allows seamless access between TikTok and Lemon8 accounts, signals a strategic move by ByteDance to retain its user base.

However, while there has been no official confirmation from the U.S. government, federal courts, or ByteDance regarding whether Lemon8 could also face a ban, the possibility remains.

Speaking during a recent House hearing, Chairwoman of the Committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, said:

“While TikTok may be the most well-known application subject to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), it is certainly not the only one—others, like Lemon8 and CapCut, are also subject to the CCP’s influence through ByteDance,"

Why Has TikTok Merged with Lemon8?

Naturally, TikTok did not mention the potential ban when announcing its integration with Lemon8. The last thing they want is to induce panic over a possible shutdown, especially as figures like Donald Trump could still challenge the decision.

Instead, TikTok described its partnership with Lemon8 as an integration designed to help users create, edit, upload, and share photos. Given TikTok’s focus on short-form videos since its rising popularity in 2018, the announcement has caught many by surprise.

Is Lemon8 Safe?

Yes, Lemon8 is safe to download and use.

The app was first launched in Japan in 2020 and has expanded to markets across the US and Southeast Asia over the past four years.

It currently has over 17 million installations, a 4.5 rating, and is currently the second most downloaded 'Lifestyle' app in the USA.

Will TikTok Change Following the Lemon8 Integration?

Currently, no changes have been made to the TikTok interface following the integration with Lemon8. However, that's not to say TikTok's layout could be adapted in the future should they wish to continue promoting a partnership with Lemon8.

If the TikTok ban goes into effect on January 19, ByteDance is likely to ramp up advertisements and promote crossover links to encourage users to transition from TikTok to Lemon8. This strategy would aim to retain its audience within the ByteDance ecosystem by positioning Lemon8 as the next big platform for content creation and community engagement.

A screenshot from a Lemon8 user in Singapore highlights some significant changes that are happening on the Lemon8 app.

Changes to the Lemon8 app include:

• Your TikTok username will be used on Lemon8
• Your Lemon8 profile link will be shown on your TikTok profile publicly by default (you can choose not to show it by editing your TikTok profile)
• Lemon8 direct messages will be disabled
• Lemon8 private pos feature will be disabled
• If you choose not to log in with a TikTok account, you may continue using the app until May 2025

The news has left many users frustrated as their Lemon8 experience is being significantly altered by the TikTok integration.

Do I Need a Lemon8 Account to Use TikTok?

No, despite the integration on November 20th, you do not explicitly need a Lemon8 account to continue using TikTok. However, this may change in the future, which is why many people are looking to sign up before any mandatory ruling.

On the flip side, to use Lemon8 in the future you will need a TikTok account. The deadline to set up a TikTok account and merge the two is May 2025, one month after TikTok's potential ban.

How to Merge TikTok and Lemon8

Download Lemon8

It has been confirmed that TikTok and Lemon8 will share a unified user login. This means creators can use one account to log in to both platforms, promoting the ability to cross-share content between the two apps.

To create an account, search 'Lemon8' in the Google Play or Apple App store.

Sign up (use your TikTok email)

Next, sign up to Lemon8.

To fast-track the process of integrating TikTok and Lemon8, you will need to use the same email address used to register with TikTok.

Enter your personal preferences

Submit your date of birth, pronouns, and information about your hobbies and interests. If you don't have any interest in posting on Lemon8 and simply want to register for TikTok integration purposes, you can skip these preferences.

Prepare for future TikTok and Lemon8 advancements

Currently, it is unclear if TikTok will develop a cross-posting system between the two.

However, TikTok officially spoke of the integration and hinted at a cross-posting system explaining:

"This integration is designed to make photo sharing more feasible and fluid for all TikTok creators, expanding their reach and engagement potential,"

We will continuously update this story with relevant information. If you're already logged into Lemon8 then you can read Kapwing's complete guide on how to post and build on audience on Lemon8.