TikTok users are migrating to Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in English. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
The clock is ticking for TikTok, as the app is due to be shut down in the US on January 19—American TikTok users and creators are turning to another Chinese short-form video app known as Xiaohongshu, or RedNote in English.
Why Is TikTok Being Banned In The US?
TikTok is facing a US ban due to concerns over user privacy and national security, but the app could stick around if Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance agrees to sell TikTok to a US owner.
ByteDance has indicated that it has no intention to sell the company, and if the ban goes through, the app will likely be removed from the App Store and Google’s Play Store.
Users who installed the app before the impending ban will still be able to access TikTok, but will be cut off from future security updates, likely leading to the app degrading over time.
Hence, several TikTok users have flocked to RedNote, leading to the app surging to the top of free apps in the US App Store.
What Is RedNote?
RedNote (Xiaohongshu translates to “Little Red Book”) launched in 2013, and was first designed as a shopping platform, where users could share product reviews and experiences.
It’s not exactly a TikTok clone—RedNote is often thought of as the Chinese equivalent of Instagram, with some comparing the layout of the app to Pinterest.
RedNote saw its Chinese-based userbase spike during the pandemic, mirroring the trajectory of TikTok in the US. The app’s growth led to a focus on short-form video and streaming, marking RedNote as a TikTok alternative.
Now, many US TikTok creators are promoting RedNote to their followers, labelling themselves as #TikTokRefugees.
Why Are TikTokers Flocking To RedNote?
Much of the focus on RedNote could be viewed as a form of rebellion against the impending US ban.
Many commentators noted the friendly relations between Chinese and US users on the video-sharing app.
There have always been US alternatives to TikTok—Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Shorts have taken steps to mimic TikTok’s short-form video feed, but none have managed to grow into the dominant cultural engine that fuels memes and online trends.
Younger, progressive users may be unlikely to embrace Facebook and Instagram in the wake of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg joining the culture war, allowing users to describe LGBTQ+ people as “mentally ill” under Meta’s new moderation policies—Zuckerberg defended the company’s shift in a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience.
YouTube Shorts is developing its own culture, having moved beyond being a conveyor belt of Skibidi Toilet clips, but the platform is soon set to embrace generative AI, which might flood the timeline with non-human slop.
Still, RedNote’s dominance is far from guaranteed, as the online landscape is still in flux, and users can be incredibly reluctant to move platforms, even as the user experience disintegrates.
“X,” the website formerly known as Twitter, is still functioning (kind of), with many users flicking between X and its competitor Bluesky, and others choosing to abandon text-based platforms altogether.
In a strange twist of fate, president-elect Donald Trump may end up being the unlikely savior of TikTok, as Trump’s popularity on the platform has seemingly led to him flipping his position on the video-sharing app from his first time in office.
The president-elect asked, “Why would I want to get rid of TikTok?” on Truth Social, alongside a graphic displaying his engagement metrics on the app.
The fate of TikTok will soon be decided, but if the ban goes through, expect a more fragmented web—some users will flee to RedNote, others will be siphoned off to rival video-sharing platforms, and some might just log off entirely.
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