HONG KONG — As the threat of a TikTok ban looms, American TikTok users are flocking to Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, which is the most downloaded app in the United States.
Some people who call themselves “TikTok refugees” are protesting the ban and claiming that Chinese apps are being chosen as an alternative to TikTok.
US Supreme Court to rule on law governing TikTok have to sell If it is not banned by Chinese parent company ByteDance by January 19th, it will face a ban in the US due to national security concerns.
After the justices said they wanted to keep the law in place, many TikTok users started creating accounts on Xiaohongshu, and their posts were tagged with hashtags like #tiktokrefugee and #tiktok. Since Monday, Xiaohongshu Top downloaded free apps on Apple's App Store in the usa
“Xiaohongshu”, which means “Little Red Book” in English, is a Chinese social media app that combines e-commerce, short video, and posting features.
In recent years, the app has attracted attention not only in China but also in the Chinese diaspora and countries such as Malaysia and Taiwan, with the number of monthly active users reaching 300 million, the majority of whom use the app as a de facto search engine. A young woman using Product, travel and restaurant recommendations, makeup and skincare tutorials, and more.
The #tiktokrefugee topic has attracted more than 160,000 posts on Xiaohongshu. Many of them are videos of American users introducing themselves and asking for tips on how to navigate an app called “RedNote.”
Xiaohongshu did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Alexis Garman is a 21-year-old TikTok user from Oklahoma with approximately 20,000 followers. She joined Xiao Hongshu on Tuesday after seeing others doing the same. Garman said he is not particularly concerned about data privacy.
“My experience with (Xiaohongshu) so far has been truly amazing and fascinating,” said Garman, who left two posts on the platform.
When a Beijing-based Xiaohongshu user commented on her post, “I like your makeup,'' Garman responded with a message of gratitude. A user from southwestern Sichuan province commented: “I'm your Chinese spy…please give me your personal information or a photo of your cat (or dog).”
“A potential ban on TikTok would not only take away the app, it would take away jobs, friends, and community,” Garman said. “Personally, I will no longer have any friends or ties with my followers.”
Other American users on Xiaohongshu have been outspoken about joining the app in protest of a potential TikTok ban.
An American user with the handle Definitelynotchippy created a video addressed to Chinese users of Xiaohongshu, explaining why Americans should download the app.
“The reason our government is saying they're banning TikTok is because they claim it's owned by you, the Chinese people, the government, etc.,” she said. “And they're trying to make us think it's your fault.”
“But many of us are smarter than that and decided to piss off the government and download real Chinese apps,” she said. “We call it trolling…In short, we're here to abuse the government, learn about China, and play with you guys.”
Chinese users of Xiaohongshu have so far welcomed American users, with some offering to teach them Chinese. Some offer tips for navigating the Chinese internet and warn against mentioning or discussing anything they deem politically sensitive, as it could result in censorship. In one case, a Chinese student asked an American for help with his English homework.
Like most apps and internet services in China, Xiaohongshu is subject to censorship. Platforms typically enforce censorship by removing or shadowbanning content the Chinese government 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 has the potential to replace TikTok. Enabling e-commerce and advertising. Before the TikTok threat, the overwhelming majority of Xiaohongshu's users were Chinese, and the app lacked translation features and was not optimized for an international user base.
Although tensions between the US and China remain high, trade and national securitymany Chinese and American Xiaohongshu users have pursued friendly cultural exchanges on the app. These interactions can range from live chat rooms to comments on posts.
A TikTok refugee known as Amanda posted a video about how happy she was to find the Xiaohongshu app, saying Chinese users were welcoming. Under her post, a Chinese user commented: “We are not enemies, we are people (living) in the same world!”
“We also didn't have the opportunity to directly communicate with foreigners who share the same app and platform. So, since we started using this app, we have been able to communicate our feelings to each other. ” says another.
In a comment posted in Chinese, TikTok's “refugee” Amanda said she would work on posting captions and subtitles in Chinese in the future.
“It’s great to be able to talk to Chinese people and learn about your culture and experiences,” she said.
