TikTok users flock to Chinese app RedNote as US ban looms

Due to a potential ban on TikTok in the U.S. within days, many American users are migrating to a Chinese app called RedNote. These self-proclaimed "TikTok refugees" have flooded the platform, causing RedNote to become the most downloaded app on Apple's U.S. app store on Monday.

RedNote is an app that competes with TikTok and is popular in mainland China, Taiwan, and other Mandarin-speaking communities. It boasts around 300 million monthly active users, and its interface appears to be a blend of TikTok and Instagram. The app allows users, primarily young, urban women, to exchange lifestyle advice ranging from dating to fashion.

Judges at the U.S. Supreme Court are about to rule on a law that stipulates TikTok must sell its U.S. operations by January 19th or face a ban in the country. TikTok has repeatedly stated that it will not sell its U.S. business, and its lawyers have warned that a ban would infringe on the free speech rights of the platform's 170 million users in the U.S.

Meanwhile, RedNote has been warmly welcoming new users. Under the topic of "TikTok refugees," there are already 63,000 posts, with new users learning how to navigate the app and use basic Chinese phrases. One new U.S. user wrote, "Thank you to our Chinese overlords for taking us in, and apologies in advance for any chaos." However, like TikTok, RedNote has also faced reports of censorship, particularly when criticizing the Chinese government.

In Taiwan, public officials are restricted from using RedNote due to security risks associated with Chinese software. As more U.S. users join RedNote, some Chinese users have jokingly referred to themselves as "Chinese spies," echoing U.S. officials' concerns that TikTok could be used by China for espionage and political manipulation. RedNote's Chinese name, "小红书," translates to "Little Red Book" in English, but the app states that this is not a reference to the book of quotations by Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong.

Despite security concerns, this has not stopped users from flocking to RedNote. Sarah Fotheringham, a 37-year-old school cafeteria worker from Utah, said that switching to RedNote is a "snub" to the government. She messaged the BBC on RedNote, saying, "I'm just a normal person living a simple life, I don't have anything China doesn't already have, if they want my data, they can have it." Marcus Robinson, a clothing designer from Virginia, said he created his RedNote account last weekend to share his clothing brand and "get ahead of the curve."

Robinson told the BBC that he had "a slight hesitation" about accepting the terms and conditions of using the app, as they were written in Chinese. "I can't really read them, which is a little concerning," he said, "but I took the risk anyway." While a ban wouldn't immediately make TikTok disappear, it would require app stores to stop offering the app, which could stifle it over time. But even if TikTok avoids a ban, it may be powerless to stop users from moving to other platforms.

Some social media users told the BBC that they are finding themselves spending more time on RedNote than they did on TikTok. Sydney Crowley, a technician from Tennessee, told the BBC, "Even if TikTok continues to exist, I'm going to keep using the platform I've created on RedNote." Crowley said that she gained over 6,000 followers within 24 hours of creating her RedNote account. "I'm going to keep trying to build a following there and see what new connections, friendships, or opportunities it can bring me."

Cafeteria worker Fotheringham said that RedNote "has opened up a world to me of China and its people." She said, "I'm now able to see things I would never have seen before. Everyday Chinese people, learning about their culture, their lives, their schools, it's all so interesting." Designer Robinson stated that the community has been "very welcoming" so far. "I'm loving RedNote so far… I just need to learn how to speak Mandarin!"