With TikTok on the verge of being banned in the United States (which would make it impossible to download, update, or access from a browser, but the app wouldn’t erase itself from phones), users of TikTok are turning to RedNote as an alternative, and using the hashtag #TikTokRefugees. Here’s why.
What is RedNote?
RedNote is a Chinese app called Xiaohongshu, which translates to “little red book,” which is why Americans called it RedNote, according to CNN. Since January 14, it has been the number one free application in the AppStore, and its symbol is a red square with Chinese symbols. Does the name refer to the book of quotes by the founder of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong? The application itself responds in the negative, reports the BBC.
The app was founded in 2013 as China’s version of Instagram, according to the outlet, and focuses on lifestyle content. According to CNET, it’s closer to Pinterest than TikTok, whose narrative vibe is sometimes that of YouTube, if that makes sense.
Why do TikTok users use RedNote?
To put it simply: out of spite. It’s not that the app’s interface or functionality is very similar to TikTok, but TikTok’s migration to another Chinese app appears to be a deliberate effort to show the US government that it cannot not prevent Americans from using Chinese-owned platforms. The fact that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is owned by a Chinese company is at the heart of the lawsuit against the app, even though data privacy does not appear to be a major concern for US TikTok users.
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-So what’s happening on RedNote?
Apparently, intercultural exchanges! Interestingly, even though TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, you can’t use it in China and it was designed for an international audience. But RedNote is full of Chinese users, and as more Americans join the platform, the two communities are growing closer in a new way. According to CNN, some longtime RedNote users are even helping Americans navigate the platform by explaining to them in English how it works, while other Americans are urging their compatriots not to get involved in politics.
When will TikTok be banned?
January 19 (the day before Donald Trump’s inauguration)… or later, if Joe Biden asks the court to postpone the ban. Future President Trump also called for the ban to be postponed so his new administration could “negotiate a resolution” to save it.
In anticipation, or in protest, other Chinese-owned content-sharing apps, such as Lemon8, Clapper, and Flip, also entered the Top 5 free iPhone apps rankings. Whether TikTok is banned or not, it’s not a bad idea for influencers to direct their followers to other accounts, and for users to exchange information (securely!) with their friends, it could be do on the app.
Originally published by Glamor
