Official announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense

U.S. Military Personnel Post Sensitive Videos from Aircraft Carrier on Chinese App RedNote Amid TikTok Ban

Jan 18, 2025, 10:06 PM

U.S. military personnel have been posting sensitive videos on the Chinese social media platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, following a looming ban on TikTok. These videos, shared directly from an aircraft carrier among other locations, have raised concerns about national security and operational security (OPSEC). The platform, believed to be affiliated with the Chinese state, has attracted American users, including military personnel, as an alternative to TikTok. Notably, a U.S. Air Force C-17 pilot, Emily Barkemeyer, was reported to have posted and then deleted detailed videos on RedNote, though she later claimed that the account using her name and videos was fake. This incident underscores the potential risks of sharing military-related content on foreign social media platforms.