Social media users on the Chinese platform Xiaohongshu, known internationally as RedNote, have recently noticed a surge in English-language content. This unexpected influx is due to the self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees” from the United States, who are flocking to the app amid the looming ban on TikTok in their country.
As observed on Tuesday, RedNote soared to the top of the free app charts on Apple’s iPhone App Store in the U.S., surpassing other popular platforms. Close behind was Lemon8, another lifestyle social media app developed by ByteDance, the creator of TikTok.
Under the hashtag #TikTokRefugee, over 109,000 posts have emerged, highlighting the mass migration of U.S. TikTok users to alternative platforms. The U.S. government’s allegations of national security threats posed by TikTok have prompted users to seek new digital spaces, often addressing the situation with humor and irony. Many have posted videos bidding farewell to their imagined “Chinese spies,” only to “reunite” with them on RedNote.
Embracing their new online home, many foreign users are engaging with the RedNote community by sharing photos of their pets—a practice affectionately termed paying the “cat tax.” Others are eager to immerse themselves in Chinese internet culture, asking for the latest memes and trends.
The response from Chinese users has been overwhelmingly warm. Despite language barriers, they have been offering guidance on the platform’s content rules—reminding newcomers of the policies against pornography, drugs, and gambling. In a reciprocal exchange, some Chinese students have seized the opportunity to seek help with their English homework from native speakers.
The choice of these “refugees” to join another Chinese app, rather than domestic alternatives like Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, or YouTube Shorts, raises intriguing questions. RedNote is a well-established platform in China, boasting over 300 million monthly active users as of March 2024. Its appeal lies not only in its popularity but also in its ability to serve as a bridge between Chinese and U.S. users, offering a window into each other’s lifestyles without regional content restrictions—a feature that TikTok does not offer due to its separate Chinese mainland server.
For many U.S. users, migrating to RedNote is also a form of protest against the impending TikTok ban. By adopting another Chinese platform, they aim to send a message to the U.S. government and to social media giants like Meta, which has reportedly lobbied lawmakers in hopes of reclaiming users from TikTok.
However, this surge in international users may present challenges for RedNote. The app could become a focal point of scrutiny by the U.S. government, though it seems impractical to prohibit every Chinese platform that gains popularity among American citizens. Additionally, RedNote may encounter domestic regulatory pressures in China, where strict data security and privacy laws are enforced, particularly concerning foreign users.
Ultimately, this “refugee crisis” in the digital realm may be short-lived if the TikTok ban is lifted before its scheduled implementation on January 19. Content creators could effortlessly transition back to TikTok, bringing with them a wealth of experiences from their time on RedNote.
