For TikTok users, the buzz around the platform’s potential ban in the United States is hard to ignore. As the courts deliberate TikTok’s future, another Chinese app has entered the spotlight in the West. RedNote, known as Xiaohongshu in China, has seen a surge in U.S. downloads—curiously timed with the week TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, faces pressure to divest its U.S. operations
This has sparked intrigue for many—and understandably so. I, for one, can’t help but wonder if RedNote might step in to fill the gap for creators concerned about TikTok’s uncertain future.
What is RedNote?
Xiaohongshu, which translates to ‘Little Red Book’ is a Chinese social media and e-commerce platform which combines user-generated content with a shopping experience. Launched in 2013, the platform allows users to share lifestyle content, that is to say, fashion, travel, and beauty tutorials and has often been described as a combination of Instagram and Pinterest with an emphasis on community engagement.
The timing of RedNote’s surge in the U.S. market is intriguing, coinciding with the week the U.S. government announced plans to ban TikTok, another Chinese platform owned by ByteDance. In just two days, over 700,000 American users, dubbing themselves “TikTok refugees” have joined RedNote, despite the majority of its content being in Mandarin.
While RedNote has offered a fresh platform for content creators and consumers, its Chinese origins have raised concerns similar to those surrounding TikTok. Policy experts caution that RedNote may pose an even greater cybersecurity and privacy threat than TikTok, potentially granting the Chinese government access to user data as per the Chinese National Intelligence law.
Furthermore, RedNote’s terms of service are currently available only in Mandarin, which authorities argue makes it difficult for users to fully understand its data practices. The sudden influx of U.S. users has prompted RedNote to accelerate the rollout of content moderation measures and translation tools to accommodate English-speaking users.
According to the users however, the migration to RedNote for some is to mock the US government’s stand on Chinese apps, citing that if they cannot “TikTok,” then they will replace the Chinese app with yet another Chinese app.
That said, many users are facing navigation issues since the app is mostly in Mandarin as well as facing potential bans due to phone verification processes.
As for specific communities like the LGBTQ+, RedNote’s content policies have restricted content on this matter with some accounts getting banned on the platform.
As TikTok works on its affairs, users are actively seeking alternative platforms to continue their online interactions and pursuits. If RedNote ain’t your thing, Here are 7 big apps its users are running to.
