TikTok users aren’t waiting for the other shoe to drop, with many identifying as “TikTok refugees” already switching over to alternative social media apps ahead of a potential nationwide ban in the US.
Back in December, it was decided by Congress that TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, would have to sell the company to an American owner by Jan. 19, 2025, with Joe Biden signing the legislation into law. With no sign of that happening within the next five days, users are looking elsewhere.
The app of choice for those ditching the popular platform is RedNote, another Chinese company that few outside of its home country heard of before talk of a TikTok ban. The alternate has become the most downloaded app on the Apple app store and reached over 10 million downloads on the Google Play store as of Tuesday (Jan. 14) morning, Yahoo News reports.
Check out our quick explainer below to learn more about the app that could potentially take TikTok’s spot in The States.
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RedNote’s Real Name
Image Credit: Photo Illustration by VCG/VCG via Getty Images While US users know the app as RedNote, it is actually called Xiaohongshu — pronounced shau-hong-shoo — which translates to “little red book.”
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Origin Story
Image Credit: Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images. Xiaohongshu was established in 2013 by Xingin Information Technology, a company founded by Charlwin Mao and Miranda Qu. It is currently headquartered in Shanghai.
The app is largely considered China’s answer to Instagram. As one of the country’s biggest social media platforms, it boasts over 300 million users. The most popular content on the app revolves around makeup, fashion, and travel.
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“TikTok Refugees”
Image Credit: Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images. Long popular among Chinese speakers, the app has gained immense popularity thanks to US social media users who’ve migrated over from TikTok — deeming themselves “TikTok refugees” — as “an act of defiance against Washington’s move to control TikTok,” CNN reports.
“Our government is out of their minds if they think we’re going to stand for this TikTok ban,” wrote one user in a video message on Xiaohongshu. “We’re just going to a new Chinese app, and here we are.” Another added, “This is so much better than TikTok. Americans are coming here … so sorry you’ll hate us, but I promise we’ll do our best.”
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Differences
Image Credit: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images) While many are migrating to RedNote from TikTok, users should be aware that they’re in for a different experience. For example, unlike TikTok, RedNote is heavily censored, with many users claiming they’ve lost their accounts for unclear reasons. The demographic for RedNote is also largely apolitical.
The app also wasn’t designed for English-speakers, while TikTok was made for an international audience. Like TikTok, RedNote focuses on short-form video content and offers online shopping, however, its algorithm focuses on interest rather than followers, which some say allows for lesser-known influencers to be found just as easily as big names.
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Any other alternatives?
Image Credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images. While RedNote soared to the top position on Apple’s US App Store ahead of the potential TikTok ban, it isn’t the only app users are looking into. Coming in at the No. 2 spot is Lemon8, an Instagram/Pintrest- inspired lifestyle community app owned by ByteDance, which also owns TikTok.
Other popular alternatives include Triller, Likee, Firework, Huddles, and of course, Instagram Reels.
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