A large group of TikTok users based in the U.S., calling themselves “TikTok refugees,” were seen on the Xiaohongshu.
Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu (小红书，also called “Red Note”) has skyrocketed to the top of app store on Jan. 13th, underscoring concerns that TikTok will soon be effectively banned in the U.S.
Fear of TikTok’s ban
A large group of TikTok users based in the U.S., calling themselves “TikTok refugees,” were seen on the Xiaohongshu. Many of them posted videos or pictures to explain why they are on this platform that has mostly Chinese speaking users.
They said they fear they are not going to be able to access TikTok after Jan. 19th, and they are engaging with Chinese netizens, eager to learn how to use the new app and build communities around their interests.
The U.S. Supreme Court held a two-hour discussion on Jan. 10th regarding the future of TikTok in the U.S.. On Dec. 6th, 2024, a U.S. federal appeals court upheld a law requiring ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to divest the app in the U.S. by Jan. 19th, 2025 or face a ban.
Attorneys representing TikTok and creators argued that the law violates the free-speech protections of millions of its U.S. users.
“A lot of fun so far”
One content creator, who goes by the username allieusyaps, said in a post that while “it’s OK” that TikTok could be banned in the U.S., he and other TikTok creators “aren’t going back to Instagram and Facebook,” because they joined Xiaohongshu.
“Look I might not have a job in the next week, but we about to learn Mandarin baby!” the user wrote.
Another TikTok creator named Krystan Walmsley posted a short video teaching people how to set up and decorate their Xiaohongshu accounts.
“This app is so cute and it’s a lot of fun so far,” Walmsley said.
A Chinese netizen surnamed Liu, posted some tips on using Xiaohongsu for international users. She said that she had noticed many foreigners had questions about how to use the app. By sharing these tips, she wanted to help them use the platform more effectively and to prevent the spread of content that may be inappropriate or incompatible.
What’s more, prices of shares related to Xiaohongshu surged in the morning session on Jan. 14th after the app rose to the top of the Apple app store chart in the U.S..
Based in Shanghai, Xiaohongshu was founded in 2013 and has grown into one of China’s most popular lifestyle social media platforms.
Written by Yetao Gu, additional reporting by CNBC, Global Times, and Xinhua.
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