Will you be downloading this new app if TikTok gets banned?
A lesser-known Chinese social media app is rapidly climbing the charts among U.S. users as a potential TikTok ban looms.
If you haven’t been following the news, the U.S. government is considering banning TikTok in the coming days. This could leave millions of Americans without access to their daily dose of GRWM videos and trending dances.
Why is the US banning TikTok?
The potential TikTok ban arose after U.S. lawmakers accused ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, of having ties to the Chinese government, raising national security concerns.
In April 2024, President Biden signed a bill into law requiring ByteDance to secure a U.S. government-approved buyer within nine months or face a shutdown of the app. This deadline expires on January 19, leaving U.S. users in what may be their final days on TikTok.
In December, a federal appeal to overturn the TikTok ban was rejected. However, there is speculation that incoming President Donald Trump might reconsider the ruling.
Both TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have consistently denied any ties to the Chinese government.
Whether the ban is enforced or a last-minute reprieve is granted, scroll-hungry teenagers are already exploring alternatives. One such app, RedNote—a Chinese platform—has been rapidly climbing the download charts.
What is the new ‘TikTok replacement’ app RedNote?
Nicknamed RedNote in the U.S., Xiaohongshu (translated as “Little Red Book”) is a social media app that enables users to share photos and videos from their daily lives. The platform is owned by Shanghai-based Xingyin Information Technology.
Combining social media with e-commerce, the app allows users to shop online and share product reviews, offering a hybrid experience akin to Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.
Although relatively unknown in the West, Xiaohongshu is one of China’s largest social media platforms, boasting approximately 300 million monthly users. According to a report from Newsweek, the app is rumored to have a valuation exceeding $3 billion (£2.5 billion), a figure poised to grow as “TikTok refugees” consider it their new online home.
At the time of writing, Xiaohongshu is the most downloaded app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, suggesting a significant portion of former TikTok users are eager to explore the platform.
The choice to migrate to RedNote appears to be a deliberate response to the U.S. government’s rationale for banning TikTok, signaling a subtle act of defiance against the perceived motivations behind the decision.
However, whether users will stay on RedNote long enough to establish a thriving, sizeable community remains uncertain.
Is RedNote safe to download?
Not everyone is fully convinced by RedNote’s appeal. Yahoo News reported that the app’s terms of service state it can use user data for “news reporting and supervision” in the public interest.
Muhammad Ajmal Azad, a senior lecturer in cybersecurity, pointed out concerns, telling the outlet, “The app may share data with third parties for advertisement purposes without user consent or without clearly outlining the consent requirements.”
Azad also noted that RedNote can access various sensors, including GPS, audio, video, energy, and scrolling patterns, which could lead to profiling and unwanted surveillance.
