Learn more about Lemon8 – and why this app has taken the social media world by storm.
Imagine a social media platform where Instagram meets Pinterest, with a dash of TikTok’s viral appeal.
That’s Lemon8 in a nutshell – the latest app that’s catching the attention of teens and young adults across the globe. The ByteDance-owned social platform is trying to tie together the popularity of video and image apps to give younger audiences a place to hang out and share content online.
But for all its flash, you might be wondering: What exactly is Lemon8, and should I be concerned about my child using it?
Let’s peel back the layers of Lemon8, explore its features, potential benefits, and the concerns that might arise for parents. We’ll look at how this app differs from some of the other social media apps you may be familiar with – and how you can help your child understand their role in using it responsibly.
What is Lemon8?
Lemon8 is a relatively new social media app that snuck in under the social media radar during the 2020 pandemic. Created by ByteDance, the same company behind TikTok, Lemon8 combines elements of popular platforms to create a unique user experience.
At its core, Lemon8 is a content-sharing platform that focuses on lifestyle categories such as fashion, beauty, food, wellness, travel, and home. Users can share both photos and short videos, though currently, photo content seems to be more prevalent.
The app’s interface resembles a hybrid of Instagram’s visual appeal and Pinterest’s idea-sharing format.
- Visual-First Content: Like Instagram, Lemon8 prioritizes eye-catching images and videos.
- Category-Based Browsing: Similar to Pinterest, users can explore content within specific lifestyle categories.
- Social Interaction: Users can follow others, like and comment on posts, and share content.
- Content Creation Tools: The app offers built-in photo editing features, filters, and templates to enhance user-generated content.
- Product Tagging: Creators can tag products in their posts, making it easier for users to find and potentially purchase items they see.
- “For You” Page: Similar to TikTok, Lemon8 uses an algorithm to curate content based on user interests and interactions.
What sets Lemon8 apart is its focus on longer-form captions and detailed content. While many social media platforms prioritize quick, bite-sized information, Lemon8 encourages users to share more in-depth experiences and tutorials.
For parents, it’s important to understand that Lemon8 primarily targets a younger demographic, particularly Gen Z users. The app’s emphasis on aesthetics, lifestyle content, and social interaction makes it particularly appealing to teenagers and young adults looking for inspiration and online connections.
How To Use Lemon8
So, the appeal is there – and it’s likely that your smartphone-wielding children have already loaded the app on their devices. But how does the app work beyond simply sharing images or video content?
Here’s a breakdown of the app’s main features and user experience:
Account Creation and Profile Setup
Users can sign up using their email, or phone number or by linking existing social media accounts.
Upon joining, they’re prompted to select interests, which helps the app curate content for their feed. Profiles can be customized with a profile picture, bio, and links to other social media accounts.
Content Discovery
The main interface of Lemon8 revolves around two primary tabs:
- The “For You Page”: This algorithmically curated feed shows content based on the user’s interests and interactions within the app. This page, much like the Explore page on Instagram, helps users discover new content and accounts to follow.
- The “Following” Tab: Here, users see posts from accounts they’ve chosen to follow – be that friends and family they know personally, or brands and influencers who they are following online.
Content Creation and Sharing
Users can easily create and share content on the app like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest:
- Uploading photos or short videos (up to 10 per post)
- Adding captions, which can be quite lengthy compared to other platforms
- Using built-in editing tools to enhance their content
- Adding hashtags to increase discoverability
- Tagging products or locations in their posts
Interaction and Engagement
Like other social media platforms, Lemon8 encourages user interaction on posts and content. This has been the main driving force behind the app’s popularity – with many creating profiles to connect with their friends and brands/celebrities on the app.
The typical functions apply here as well:
- Likes and comments on posts
- Sharing content with friends
- Saving posts to personal collections for future reference
Explore and Search
Here’s where things can get a bit dicey with Lemon8. Like many other social media platforms that center on media, Lemon8’s “Explore” page is designed to show users content that may interest them based on their past activity and interactions.
This can be a great way to discover new content and accounts, but it also means that Lemon8 may not always show a diverse range of perspectives or content.
To counteract this, Lemon8 has a robust search feature where users can enter specific keywords or hashtags to find content related to their interests. But this, too, can open up avenues to content that may not be appropriate for your child.
Does Lemon8 Have Parental Controls?
Unfortunately, Lemon8 falls significantly short when it comes to built-in parental controls and safety features.
Unlike many other social media platforms that are gradually implementing more safety measures, Lemon8 offers minimal options for parents to manage their child’s experience on the app.
- Limited Settings: The app provides very few controls within its settings. Users can only disallow Lemon8 from using their posts as promotional material, hide the posts they like, and limit notifications.
- No Privacy Options: There is no way to make an account private, limit who can comment or follow, or make the account undiscoverable. All posted content is publicly visible by default.
- Absence of Content Restrictions: The app lacks features to create private posts or collections, meaning everything shared is accessible to all users.
- External Links: Users can link up to five external social media accounts or websites, potentially exposing children to content outside of Lemon8.
- Basic Safety Measures: The only safety features available are the ability to ban and report other users.
Should My Child Use Lemon8?
Naturally, a popular app that has a “younger vibe” will appeal to children and teens who are looking to find a place to hang out online without their parents constantly monitoring their every move.
However, it’s important to consider the risks and potential dangers of using Lemon8 before allowing your child to use it.
While Lemon8 may seem like a fun and harmless app, there are certain aspects that could put children at risk. The lack of privacy and parental controls – along with the ability to send and receive private messages and explore any number of different content types – makes it difficult to monitor and ensure your child’s safety while using the app.
Before allowing your child to use Lemon8, it’s important to have an open and honest conversation with them about internet safety. Remind them of the potential dangers of sharing personal information online and how to handle any uncomfortable or harmful situations they may encounter on the app.
Don’t be afraid to engage with your child on why they may want to use the app and what they hope to gain from it. This can help give you a better understanding of their intentions and any potential risks they may not be aware of.
Let’s Create A Safer Web, Together
As parents or guardians, it’s normal to want to know every detail about your child’s online activity. However, with new apps constantly emerging and evolving, it can be tough to keep up with everything.
Having ongoing conversations with your child about their digital health and well-being is just as important as setting parental controls and monitoring their online activity. By engaging in open and honest discussions, your child will feel more comfortable coming to you if they encounter any uncomfortable or harmful situations on an app.
At Kidslox, we are passionate about helping families stay safe online – and our expanding library of parent guides and blogs are here to help you navigate the shifting digital landscape, before you get swept up by all the changes. Check out our latest content online, and take the first step toward building a safer and more informed digital environment for your child.
Remember, it’s not about restricting your child’s access to technology, but rather equipping them with the knowledge and skills to navigate it safely and responsibly. Stay involved and educated, and together we can create a positive digital future for our children.
