Is Lemon8 Safe? Security Review
2/5
Overall Safety Score
★
★
★
★
★
Verdict: Lemon8 carries the same fundamental privacy risks as TikTok due to shared ByteDance ownership. It likely shares data infrastructure with TikTok and is subject to the same Chinese data access concerns.
Lemon8 is a lifestyle and content sharing app owned by ByteDance (TikTok's parent company). It focuses on fashion, beauty, food, and travel content with an Instagram-meets-Pinterest aesthetic.
Security Ratings Breakdown
| Category | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | 3/5 | |
| Privacy | 1/5 | |
| Track Record | 2/5 |
Security Features
- Basic account security features
- Content reporting tools
- Account privacy settings
Privacy Concerns
- Owned by ByteDance, same parent as TikTok
- Subject to the same US divest-or-ban legislation as TikTok
- Likely shares data infrastructure with TikTok
- Extensive data collection similar to TikTok's practices
- Less transparency than TikTok due to smaller scrutiny
Past Security Incidents
- No Lemon8-specific breaches disclosed as of 2025
- Included in the same US legislative action targeting ByteDance-owned apps
How to Stay Safe Using Lemon8
- Apply the same caution as with TikTok
- Minimize personal data shared on the platform
- Restrict location and device permissions
- Consider whether the privacy trade-off is worthwhile
Safer Alternatives
- Pinterest (visual discovery without ByteDance concerns)
- Instagram (US-based alternative)
Last updated: February 10, 2026