Be Careful What You Wish For — What is RedNote, the Chinese social media app that US TikTokers are flocking to?
As Supreme Court justices ponder the future of TikTok in the United States, a growing number of American social media users have responded by moving to an unlikely alternative: Xiaohongshu, a hugely popular social media app in China.
The app, which means “Little Red Book,” often shortened by US users to RedNote, surged to the top position on Apple’s US App Store on Tuesday.
Founded in 2013, Xiaohongshu is one of China’s biggest social media platforms with 300 million users, according to research firm Qian Gua. Described as China’s answer to Instagram, the app has become especially popular for sharing tips on travel, makeup and fashion.
But while it has cornered the Chinese market, it hasn’t gained much prominence beyond the Chinese-speaking world. Until now.
If this migration is true, it is not going to make some people happy in the USA. I don't think the intention of banning TikTok, was for users to move to a platform that is not even hosted in the USA at all.
I think I tried to join RedNote once but seem to recall it may have been invite only.
That said, RedNote is not actually a direct TikTok alternative, as it seems to be more of an Instagram alternative (like the decentralised Pixelfed). In fact, Loops maybe be more of an alternative TikTok (a decentralised one at that), but it is not quite ready for prime time yet.
Although existing users on RedNote seem to be very welcoming to the new refugees, there may be a clash down the line still, as the Chinese culture is more one for being respectful, and not brandishing politics around.
Still, like with amateur radio, it is often an eye-opener when ordinary people from different countries can chat and socialise together, to get a better understanding of what they have in common, and what is different.
The censorship Czars, though, may well find that when you slap down one company/social network, there is more than another ready to pop up and take its place (remember Huawei and Xiaomi/OPPO/HONOR/etc).
My country will still have TikTok, so I'll just be watching this as this all unfolds.
See
What is RedNote, the Chinese social media app that US TikTokers are flocking to? | CNN Business
As Supreme Court justices ponder the future of TikTok in the United States, a growing number of American social media users have responded by moving to an unlikely alternative: Xiaohongshu, a hugely popular social media app in China.
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