As the threat of a TikTok ban looms in the United States, American content creators are increasingly flocking to Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, another Chinese social media platform often likened to a blend of Instagram and Pinterest. The app, which surged to the top of the Apple App Store’s download charts and has over 10 million downloads on Google Playsore on Tuesday, is emerging as a promising alternative for creators seeking to maintain their online presence.
The potential shutdown of TikTok follows a US government directive requiring ByteDance, the platform’s Chinese parent company, to divest from TikTok or face a ban on distribution through app stores and internet providers. The directive, set to take effect this week, has sparked heated debates over national security and free speech, with critics accusing the legislation of overreach. ByteDance and the Chinese government have consistently denied allegations of data misuse or espionage.
Content creators, however, appear undeterred by the controversy. Influencer Jen Hamilton, boasting 3.9 million TikTok followers, has openly embraced RedNote, sarcastically dismissing concerns over data privacy in a video that invited her audience to join her on the new platform. “It is impossible how little I care that the Chinese [have] my data,” Hamilton quipped, poking fun at fears of espionage.
RedNote, launched in 2013, has rapidly gained traction among American users despite its predominantly Mandarin interface. The app’s popularity is fuelled by its user-friendly design and its focus on short-form content, which aligns with TikTok’s appeal. Valued at over $17 billion, Xiaohongshu is one of China’s fastest-growing social platforms, providing a viable alternative for creators amid the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future.
Meanwhile, TikTok’s fate rests in the hands of the US Supreme Court, which recently heard arguments on the app’s potential ban. Justices raised concerns over the app’s national security implications, suggesting that foreign-controlled platforms could be exploited for espionage or propaganda. Despite this, TikTok’s advocates argue that the legislation infringes on free speech and unfairly targets the platform’s 170 million US users.