HONG KONG — Because the risk of a TikTok ban looms, U.S. TikTok customers are flocking to the Chinese language social media app Xiaohongshu – making it the highest downloaded app within the U.S.
A number of the “TikTok refugees,” as they name themselves, say the TikTok various, a Chinese language app, is being chosen in protest of the TikTok ban.
The U.S. Supreme Court docket is because of rule on a regulation that stipulates TikTok should be divested from its Chinese language dad or mum firm ByteDance by Jan. 19 or face a ban within the U.S. over nationwide safety considerations.
After the justices appeared inclined to let the regulation stand, lots of TikTok customers started creating accounts on Xiaohongshu, together with hashtags resembling #tiktokrefugee or #tiktok to their posts. Since Monday, Xiaohongshu has grow to be the high downloaded free app on Apple’s App Retailer within the U.S.
Xiaohongshu, which in English means “Little Red Book” is a Chinese language social media app that mixes e-commerce, quick video and posting features.
The app has gained traction in China and different areas and nations with a Chinese language diaspora resembling Malaysia and Taiwan lately, racking up 300 million month-to-month lively customers, a majority of whom are younger girls who use it as a de-facto search engine for product, journey and restaurant suggestions, in addition to make-up and skincare tutorials.
The #tiktokrefugee subject has racked up over 160,000 posts on Xiaohongshu, lots of that are movies of American customers introducing themselves and asking for tips about find out how to navigate the app, which they’re calling “RedNote”.
Xiaohongshu didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from The Related Press.
Alexis Garman is a 21-year-old TikTok consumer in Oklahoma with almost 20,000 followers. She joined Xiaohongshu on Tuesday after seeing others do the identical. Garman stated she isn’t significantly involved about information privateness.
“What I experienced on (Xiaohongshu) so far has been really great and inviting,” stated Garman, who has left two posts on the platform.
“I like your makeup,” a Xiaohongshu consumer from Beijing feedback one in every of her posts, and Garman thanks them in a reply. A consumer from the southwestern province of Sichuan commented “I am your Chinese spy … please surrender your personal information or the photographs of your cat (or dog).”
“TikTok possibly getting banned doesn’t just take away an app, it takes away jobs, friends and community,” Garman stated. “Personally, the friends and bond I have with my followers will now be gone.”
Different American customers who’ve joined Xiaohongshu have been outspoken about becoming a member of the app in protest of the attainable TikTok ban.
An American consumer with the deal with Definitelynotchippy made a video addressed to the Chinese language customers of Xiaohongshu, explaining why Individuals are downloading the app.
“The reason that our government is telling us that they are banning TikTok is because they’re insisting that it’s owned by you guys, the Chinese people, government, whatever,” she stated. “And they’re trying to make us think that you guys are bad.”
“A lot of us are smarter than that though so we decided to piss off our government and download an actual Chinese app,” she stated. “We call that trolling … in short we’re here to spite our government and to learn about China and hang out with you guys.”
Chinese language customers on Xiaohongshu have up to now welcomed American customers, with some providing to show them Chinese language. Others have provided tips about navigating the Chinese language web, warning the brand new customers to not point out or focus on something thought-about politically delicate as they might get censored. In some circumstances, Chinese language college students have requested the Individuals for assist with their English homework.
Like most apps and web providers in China, Xiaohongshu is topic to censorship. Platforms sometimes implement censorship by deleting or shadowbanning content material that Beijing deems politically delicate. Giant Western platforms, resembling Google and Fb, are blocked in China.
Although Xiaohongshu has seen an inflow of customers, it’s not clear if the app may change TikTok, which has created an ecosystem that permits for e-commerce and promoting. Earlier than TikTok was below risk, the overwhelming majority of Xiaohongshu’s customers have been Chinese language, and the app, which lacks translation options, isn’t optimized for a global consumer base.
Despite the fact that U.S.-China tensions stay excessive over commerce and nationwide safety, many Chinese language and American Xiaohongshu customers have pursued pleasant cultural exchanges on the app. These interactions vary from stay chat rooms to feedback on posts.
A TikTok refugee who goes by the identify Amanda posted a video on how pleased she was find the Xiaohongshu app, saying that Chinese language customers have been welcoming. Beneath her submit, a Chinese language consumer feedback: “We are not enemy, we are human beings (living) in one world!”
“We also never … had a chance to communicate with you foreign guys directly sharing the same app or platform, so the (feeling is) mutual since you come on this app,” one other says.
In a remark posted in Chinese language, Amanda, the TikTok “refugee” stated she would work on posting captions and subtitles in Chinese language sooner or later.
“I am so happy to talk to Chinese people and learn about your culture and experiences,” she stated.
