The hype around Lemon8 has grown alarmingly fast and conveniently timed, causing many to speculate that the current Lemon8 push is a marketing tactic by ByteDance to distract from the political scrutiny TikTok is facing in the US. The reality is, any fate faced by TikTok when it comes to legislation will also impact Lemon8, since both are owned by Chinese-run ByteDance. However, the fact that ByteDance has been in hot water recently hasn’t stopped Lemon8 from picking up steam. The app is currently the most downloaded free lifestyle app in the Apple app store. 

So, will Lemon8’s star fade as quickly as it rose? If TikTok’s current de-influencing trend is any indicator, today’s youth is pushing back on the culture of overconsumption. Lemon8’s target creator is a 22- to 26-year-old woman, and this age group is keenly aware of the impact our consumption has on the environment, with sustainability and shopping green being a major concern for Gen Z. Not only that, but according to information from Deloitte, consumers in general are decreasing the frequency of non-essential purchases and keeping items in circulation longer, whether it’s through mending broken belongings or purchasing second hand.  It’s hard to say if an app focused on lifestyle and shopping will successfully steal screen time away from other social media apps, especially when Lemon8 is quite comparable to others on the market.