It takes a lot for a new social media to break the mould and become popular. The best example of that has been TikTok, but now its owners are having another attempt. As influences flock over to the app, we answer is Lemon8 is safe, whilst telling you how it works.
Gone are the days when we all wished we were older so we could have Facebook and no one really understood Twitter. Now, the former is for the mums (no offence), Instagram has revolutionised picture taking and Twitter…well, we’ve come full circle on that one really.
In that time, other forms have come and gone, whilst others such as TikTok have changed the internet forever. Wanting another go at social media success, their owners have come up with Lemon8.
Lemon8 Is A Flashback To The Old Instagram
No one can deny that Instagram isn’t what it used to be, for better or for worse. Largely, images are pushed down by the algorithm in favour of reels and stories.
It cashes in on that Instagram nostalgia, combining it with the best bits of Pinterest. Here’s how Lemon8 works.
Focusing on beauty, wellness, food, travel, home, pet and fashion, you’ll find tips, tricks and inspiration under each category. It’s very aesthetically pleasing, with features so creators can tag items bought and how much they cost, as well as including get ready with me style videos.
No gatekeeping, no drama — it’s literally an app full of inspiration and interaction for you to get your next best ideas.
Though most have been saying it’s a lovechild between Instagram and Pinterest, the ‘Following’ and ‘For You’ aspect screams TikTok. However, you can’t scroll that way on Lemon8, which honestly might be for the best.
Is Lemon8 Safe?
Yes, there are no indications that it’s a scam or anything of the like and it works as advertised.
In fact, it’s possibly safer than other apps as it doesn’t have a DM feature, meaning no one can message you. You can leave comments on posts, however.
Even more, the content on there is all about being aesthetic, so there isn’t anything indecent or inappropriate that can be seen. The app is still fairly new to the wider audience, having been launched in Asia in 2020 and just now available to the Western world. So, that aspect could change.
A downside is that, at the moment, there is no way to make your profile private on the app, so everyone can see what you’ve uploaded. Unlike TikTok, it also doesn’t come with any parental controls, but it is designed for those aged 13 and above.
In many ways, it’s safer than many apps and it definitely isn’t unsafe to use. That being said, there are certainly areas for improvement for Lemon8.
Who Owns The New App?
Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
This is perhaps where worry over the app’s safety has stemmed, with TikTok being banned left right and centre in the US over the last few months. This was mainly on government devices and due to data breaches and concerns over privacy.
Having just launched in the US, it could be a tactical decision from ByteDance. Lemon could possibly be a backup app in case TikTok has to shut down over there completely. However, it seems very different in content and is more of a rival to an Asian app, Xiaohongshu. With a large share in the e-commerce market, perhaps ByteDance just wants a bigger share of that pie too.
Over the last few weeks, many influencers have been trying out the app, mostly with rave reviews. As more and more head over, only time will tell if Lemon8 becomes the next big thing on the internet.