As a US ban on TikTok approaches, US TikTok users are flocking to Chinese social network Xiaohongshu, making it the most downloaded app in the US.
Some of the “TikTok refugees,” as they call themselves, claim that the alternative to TikTok, a Chinese app, is being chosen as a sign of protest against the upcoming ban on TikTok.
The US Supreme Court is set to rule on a law that says TikTok must split from its Chinese parent company ByteDance by January 19 or face a US ban over security concerns national.
While the judges seemed inclined to let the law stand, many TikTok users began creating accounts on Xiaohongshu, including hashtags such as #tiktokrefugee or #tiktok in their posts. Since Monday, Xiaohongshu has become the most downloaded free app on the Apple Store in the United States.
Xiaohongshu, meaning “Little Red Book”, is a Chinese social media application that combines e-commerce, short video, and publishing functions.
The app has gained popularity in China and other regions and countries with a Chinese diaspora, such as Malaysia and Taiwan, in recent years, accumulating 300 million monthly active users, a majority of whom are young women who use it as a search engine. Actually for product, travel and restaurant recommendations, as well as makeup and skincare tutorials.
Xiaohongshu did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Demonstration against the American government
The hashtag #tiktokrefugee has racked up more than 160,000 posts on Xiaohongshu, many of which are videos of American users introducing themselves and asking for advice on how to navigate the app, which they call “RedNote.”
Alexis Garman is a 21-year-old TikTok user living in Oklahoma with almost 20,000 followers. She joined Xiaohongshu on Tuesday after seeing others do the same. She’s not particularly concerned about data privacy, she says.
“The potential ban on TikTok doesn’t just take away an app, it takes away jobs, friends and a community,” she lamented. Personally, the friends and connection I have with my followers will now disappear. »
Other American users who registered on Xiaohongshu openly said they joined the app to protest a possible ban on TikTok.
An American user with the nickname Definitelynotchippy made a video aimed at Chinese Xiaohongshu users, explaining why Americans download the app.
“The reason our government is telling us they’re banning TikTok is because they insist that it’s your property, the Chinese people’s property, the government’s property, whatever,” she said. declared. And they’re trying to make us think you’re bad. »
“A lot of us are smarter than that, so we decided to piss off our government and download a real Chinese app,” she continued. We call this “trolling.” In short, we are here to spite our government, learn about China, and spend time with you. »
Xiaohongshu subject to Chinese censorship
Chinese Xiaohongshu users have so far welcomed American users, with some offering to teach them the language.
Others gave advice on navigating the internet, warning new users not to mention or discuss anything considered politically sensitive because it could be censored.
In some cases, Chinese students have asked Americans for help with their English homework.
Like most Internet applications and services in China, Xiaohongshu is subject to censorship. Platforms typically enforce censorship by invisibly removing or banning content that Beijing deems politically sensitive. Major Western platforms, such as Google and Facebook, are blocked in China.
Although Xiaohongshu has seen an influx of users, it is unclear whether the app will be able to replace TikTok, which has created an ecosystem enabling e-commerce and advertising. Before TikTok’s presence was compromised in the United States and elsewhere, the overwhelming majority of Xiaohongshu’s users were Chinese, and the app, which lacks translation features, is not optimized for a global base of users. users. users.
To watch on video
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