As concerns grow over a possible TikTok ban in the United States, American users are increasingly turning to Xiaohongshu. This Chinese social media platform has swiftly ascended the US download charts. Commonly referred to as “Little Red Book” and frequently shortened to “RedNote” by US users, this app has emerged as a refuge for those fleeing TikTok due to looming restrictions.
RedNote is a short-form video platform that blends entertainment with e-commerce. It allows users to shop and leave product reviews. As TikTok’s counterpart in China, the app has transformed how Chinese users engage with media and retail.
Founded in 2013, Xiaohongshu is one of China’s largest social platforms, boasting 300 million users, according to research firm Qian Gua. Often compared to Instagram, it has gained popularity for sharing travel, makeup, and fashion tips. It is particularly favoured in regions with a significant Chinese diaspora, such as Malaysia and Taiwan, where it serves as a primary search engine for product and travel recommendations and makeup and skincare tutorials.
People on Little Red Book calling us TikTok refugees😭🇨🇳♥️
— Mia K. (@miakhalifa) January 14, 2025While Xiaohongshu has dominated the Chinese market, it had not made significant inroads outside the Chinese-speaking world until recently. As of last Tuesday, it was the top downloaded free app in Apple’s US app store.
Why is “Xiaohongshu, or “RedNote” everywhere?
CNN reports that Xiaohongshu’s global popularity surged in the same week that TikTok faced a potential shutdown in the US. In just two days, over 700,000 new users signed up for Xiaohongshu, citing an insider close to the company, per Reuters.
The Chinese people on Xiaohongshu are now asking Americans for help with their English homework LMAOOOO pic.twitter.com/nAL3cedS85
— Gina Darling (@MissGinaDarling) January 13, 2025By Wednesday, the hashtag “TikTok refugee” had amassed nearly 250 million views and over 5.5 million comments on Xiaohongshu. Many American users expressed their defiance against the US government’s move on TikTok. Heather Roberts, one user, emphasized in a video message that garnered over 45,000 likes, “Our government is out of their minds if they think we’re going to stand for this TikTok ban. We’re just moving to a new Chinese app, and here we are.”
Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, has hit #1 on the US App Store following news of a possible TikTok ban on January 19th. pic.twitter.com/CwIXgtPEfO
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 13, 2025Another user praised the platform: “This is so much better than TikTok. Americans are coming here. I’m so sorry you’ll hate us, but I promise we’ll do our best.”
Read: China Considers Selling US TikTok Operations to Elon Musk
I taught myself HTML for social media, you think I won’t learn mandarin ?? I’m on rednote now🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/FAEjFtW2bc
— Mia K. (@miakhalifa) January 14, 2025With over 170 million TikTok users in the US, which platforms will benefit most from a potential ban remains to be seen. While some experts suggest that well-known sites like Instagram and YouTube may see the largest influx of users, others may turn to alternative apps seeking different experiences.
