RedNote, an international version of Xiaohongsu, topped the list of free downloads for Apple’s app store the previous evening as of U.S. time.
This phenomenon is due to the so-called “TikTok Ban Act,” which passed the U.S. Congress in April last year. According to the law, ByteDance will be banned from app stores and play stores in the U.S. unless TikTok is sold by the 19th. In fact, it will be kicked out.
Concerned that TikTok’s service in the U.S. could be banned soon, Americans who have been using TikTok headed to Xiaohongsu in large numbers and are scrambling to post videos, calling themselves “TikTok refugees.”
“Our government claims that China will use TikTok to turn Americans against the United States, but we all think it’s absurd,” Amy, an American living in Massachusetts, told the Global Times. “So as a protest, we signed up for Red Note.”
Chinese netizens welcomed this.
“Friends from TikTok, you’re not refugees, you’re brave explorers,” one Xiaohongsu user said in a comment, drawing sympathy from many.
On Xiaohongsu, there have also been a number of videos in English explaining how to use the Chinese-based Xiaohongsu.
Chinese media, including the Global Times, are actively reporting Xiao Hong-su’s No. 1 download in the United States.
However, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) pointed out that it will not be easy for Xiaohongsu to replace TikTok, which has 170 million users in the U.S. alone.
SALLY LEE