US Users Jump to RedNote as TikTok Faces Imminent Ban

As the US edges closer to a potential ban on TikTok, many users are shifting to RedNote (Xiaohongshu), another Chinese-based social media platform, as an alternative. The US Supreme Court is currently deliberating whether to ban TikTok outright or require its sale to an American company, citing national security concerns under a law passed last year.

In light of the situation, a growing number of TikTok users have begun flocking to RedNote, which has around 300 million global users. The shift has led to the rise of the hashtag #tiktokrefugee, with over 160,000 posts, and RedNote recently became the most downloaded app on the US App Store.

Chinese users have welcomed the influx of American users, and some have jokingly interacted with them over language differences.

The law restricting TikTok’s operations in the US is scheduled to take effect this Sunday unless ByteDance, the app’s parent company, either transfers ownership or secures a last-minute legal reprieve. The concerns over TikTok center around potential data sharing with Chinese authorities, a claim that ByteDance has consistently denied.

In the political arena, incoming President Donald Trump, set to take office on Monday, has expressed opposition to the ban and requested the Supreme Court conduct an emergency review of the matter. Although Trump supported a TikTok ban during his first term (2017-2021), he reversed his stance last March after meeting Jeff Yass, a key supporter and investor in the platform.