Instead of wallowing in misery over the possibility of losing access to their favorite short video app, many TikTokers are flocking to RedNote, a Chinese social media platform also called Xiaohongshu. I myself have decided to spend some time on the platform and it seems that the so-called “TikTok refugees” are excited to interact with a community made up primarily of Chinese-speaking users, and vice versa.
Launched in 2013 as a shopping platform, RedNote has become one of China's most popular social apps with photos, videos and written content. Now it's seeing another surge in users from another part of the world, with more than 700,000 users joining RedNote in just two days. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/over-half-million-tiktok-refugees-flock-chinas-rednote-2025-01-14/”>according to a report by Reuters. The number is still small, just a fraction of the 150 million Americans TikTok They reported that they were already using the app in early 2023.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/14/tech/rednote-china-popularity-us-tiktok-ban-intl-hnk/index.html”>As CNN noted, the name Xiaohongshu translates as “little red book”, which “could be seen as an ironic reference to a red-covered book with quotes from Communist China's founding father, Mao Zedong.” Many American users appear to be using the Chinese platform despite the US government's plan to ban TikTok, but in a deeply unserious way.
Among all the Chinese-language posts showing off fancy snap controls, delicious food videos, and memes I still don't fully understand, is TikTok's expat content. Many joke about his sudden appearance on the app, with a user wondering what Chinese users might think after seeing an influx of US-based users and another sample his gradual transformation from a gun-toting, Buc-ee-merchandised American to a Chinese-speaking RedNote user. Others are just saying “hello” to their new community, some of whom have written subtitles in what I assume is machine-translated Chinese.
Even more interesting is that all RedNote users welcome TikTokers with open arms. Several RedNote users are eager to introduce the app while also sharing some tips and tricks on how to navigate it. One creator says “now is the perfect time to immerse yourself in Chinese culture” via RedNote as Chinese New Year approaches, adding that the platform's users are “obsessed with Luigi, Trump and Squid Game.” Some even offer to teach Chinese to new members of their community.
But many TikTokers are also curious about RedNote users in China. “Chinese friends, post photos of your food or snacks today! I'm curious to see what you normally eat,” writes one user. Another asks: “I'm American. Do they all like us? We know that you are not the enemy. Can we all be friends?
The trend is actually a healthy thing and I'm here to support it, but I'm not sure it will really last. If these apps grow in popularity, they could also face a ban. But the migration to RedNote is likely just a trend, and trends only last as long as it takes for something else to replace it.
