Official announcement from TikTok or ByteDance

'TikTok Refugees' Flock to China's RedNote Ahead of Potential U.S. Ban on January 19

Jan 15, 2025, 12:24 PM

As the potential ban of TikTok in the United States approaches, American users are flocking to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media app known as RedNote in English. Ahead of the January 19 deadline, when the U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on TikTok's fate, users are exploring alternative platforms. Calling themselves 'TikTok refugees,' many have migrated to Xiaohongshu, which has seen a surge of tens of thousands of new U.S.-based users, propelling it to the top of the U.S. App Store charts. Chinese users on the platform have welcomed the influx, offering assistance, practicing English, and engaging in cultural exchange. However, some American users have encountered issues with language barriers and Chinese censorship, as Xiaohongshu lacks automatic translation features and enforces stricter content moderation. The move highlights the irony of U.S. users migrating to another Chinese-owned platform amid concerns over data privacy and national security. TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, has announced plans to shut down its U.S. app on January 19 unless the Supreme Court intervenes or it is allowed to divest its U.S. operations.