WASHINGTON (AP) — As the fate of TikTok hangs in the balance, U.S. TikTok users are flocking to Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, also called RedNote, making it the most downloaded app in the United States .
Some of the “TikTok refugees,” as they call themselves, say Alternative to TikToka Chinese application, is chosen to protest against the ban on TikTok. Here’s what you need to know about Xiaohongshu.
What is Xiaohongshu, the Chinese app to which “TikTok refugees” have flocked?
It is a lifestyle social media application that allows users to post short videos, photos and texts, and also includes functions such as live streaming and shopping.
A rare wave of camaraderie between the United States and China erupted online in recent days when “refugees” from the popular short-video platform TikTok flocked to a Chinese social media platform to protest a probable ban on the service.
They were greeted with surprise, curiosity and jokes about Xiaohongshu – literally “Little Red Book” – whose users saw English-language posts take over feeds almost overnight.
Americans showed up with the TikTok hashtag Refugees, ask me anything and posted photos of their pets to pay their hosts’ “cat tax.” Parents exchanged stories about raising their children and Swifties from both countries of course quickly found each other.
It’s a rare moment of direct contact between two online worlds that are typically separated by language, corporate borders and China’s strict online censorship system that blocks access to nearly all media international and social media services.
Why are Americans downloading a Chinese app?
Chinese and American users rarely find themselves in the same online spaces, largely because China’s “Great Firewall” blocks popular international platforms like Instagram and X. Even TikTok blocks users in China, directing them to its local sister platform Douyin.
But as the deadline approaches for a law that would prohibit TikTok In the United States, starting January 19, unless the popular social media program is sold by its China-based parent company, some began migrating to Xiaohongshu.
“When they tell us you can’t have a Chinese app anymore, we go straight to another Chinese app,” said Katie Lawson, a farmer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who has posted videos of her chickens and recorded many recipes in the application. “We are going to explore this country and its values ourselves. We’ll go straight to the source.
What is the difference between TikTok and Xiaohongshu?
Although TikTok is owned by a Chinese parent company, the short-video platform popular with Gen Z is an international app whose content and users are isolated from those of the Chinese version, Douyin.
Xiaohongshu’s 300 million monthly active users are overwhelmingly Chinese – so much so that parts of its interface don’t have an English-language version. They are strongly feminine, often addressing strangers simply as “sisters”.
Known for its friendly atmosphere focused on user reviews and peer-to-peer advice, it is one of the fastest growing apps in China. Foreign celebrities, including Mariah Carey and Maye Musk, Elon Musk’s mother, are longtime users. Kim Kardashian joined the app in 2018.
How many Americans joined Xiaohongshu?
The company hasn’t released official data, but the app reached number 1 in free downloads on iOS and Android, remaining in that spot for days.
On the platform, two versions of the TikTok refugee hashtag have more than 24 million posts, with related posts appearing at the top of many users’ feeds.
What are users talking about?
A large number of American users report receiving a warm welcome from the community, with #TikTokrefugee. “Welcome World Villagers” remains the top trending topic on Xiaohongshu, with 8.9 million views as of Thursday.
Users from both countries compare notes on grocery prices, rent, health insurance, medical bills and the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Parents talk about what their children learn at school in two countries. Some have already joined book clubs and are building a community.
American users asked how Chinese people viewed the LGBTQ community and were warned that it was a sensitive topic. Chinese users taught Americans about sensitive topics and keywords to avoid censorship on the app. Chinese students took out their English homework in search of help.
What is the Chinese government’s reaction?
Chinese state media, which has long rejected U.S. allegations against TikTok, welcomed the protest against the ban.
People’s Daily, China’s largest national newspaper, said in an editorial on TikTok refugees on Thursday that TikTok refugees have found a “new home” and that “openness, communication and learning mutual are the immutable themes of humanity and the most sincere desires. of people from all countries.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to AP’s request for an interview.
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Cohen reported from Bangkok.
