Young users seek refuge on Lemon8 and Coverstar

Previously little-known social media platforms have been squeezed to the top of app store listings as young Australians seek refuge from the social media ban in places they had previously ignored.

So what are the vibrations like inside these shelters?

Lemon8 is the most prominent among alternative applications. It looks a lot like a TikTok shot on Instagram, which is as it should be, given that it’s backed by TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance. You have grids of images and videos posted by people you follow, as well as an endless scroll of “for you” algorithmic content. It has a much more Wild West vibe than Instagram; fairly innocuous skincare and food posts as well as extreme sports, highly sexualized engagement bait, dirty jokes and a whole lot of fake news.

I could feel the algorithm trying to capture the kind of content I wanted throughout the day I was using it, and although I was mainly trying to find new Australian users evading the social ban, I was also encountering increasingly aggressive generic shouting and gun, motorcycle and military content.

There are many new posts discussing the desperate move from TikTok to Lemon8 to bypass the ban; Some of these are charmingly optimistic, others come from people who clearly can’t stop turning their every idea into melodramatic content. (Some also have AI-generated Albanian answers, which are fun.)

Coverstar is another app that rose on the charts after the social media ban. Basically, it is TikTok that pays extra attention to security. There are no direct messages, all content is moderated before it can be viewed, kids need parental permission to start sharing, and there’s a strict stance against bullying, sexually explicit content, or aggression. You can still save or duet videos posted by others.

Honestly, I felt pretty weird watching this as I’m almost 30 years older than most of the people featured in the videos, and it’s weird that they’re all posting publicly too. But the overall impression is of funny kids who have their own take on various challenges and trends. The lack of edgy content is probably a negative for young teens looking for a new apocalypse, and there are still influencers, ads and algorithms here.

In general, young Australians on these apps have the energy of a gleefully dancing dodgeball player who misses the shot, even though they know their time will come soon. At least that’s the vibe of those brave enough to announce themselves as young Australians on social media.