In a surprising development, the Chinese social media platform RedNote has surged to the leading position on Apple’s app store, raising fresh concerns over a looming TikTok ban in the United States. Known locally as Xiaohongshu, RedNote is currently the most downloaded free app on Apple’s store, outranking TikTok’s Lemon8 and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Faced with a possible ban set for January 19, TikTok users and creators are scrambling to find new platforms where they can continue sharing their content. Recently, the Supreme Court heard arguments related to a law from April, which might lead to TikTok being banned. The discussions seemed to sway in favor of the U.S. government’s view that ByteDance’s control of TikTok poses a threat to national security.
Meanwhile, TikTok’s legal team, alongside some content creators, made the case that these measures infringe on the free speech rights of millions of Americans who use the app.
Should the court uphold the law, companies like Apple and Google might face penalties if they continue supporting TikTok, which would effectively mean the app’s removal in the U.S. There’s still uncertainty about whether the incoming President Trump will choose to enforce such a law after taking office on January 20.
In light of these developments, several TikTok creators are already making moves, seeking refuge on RedNote. One creator, using the alias allieusyaps, expressed a surprisingly laid-back attitude regarding the potential ban, stating that they’re transitioning to RedNote instead of reverting to platforms like Instagram and Facebook. “Maybe I’ll be out of a job next week, but hey, time to pick up some Mandarin!” the creator humorously noted.
Another content creator, Krystan Walmsley, has been actively guiding others with videos on how to set up and personalize their RedNote profiles, describing the app as both “cute” and “a lot of fun.”
Established in 2013 and based in Shanghai, RedNote is widely seen as a rising challenger to giants like Alibaba and Douyin, ByteDance’s Chinese TikTok counterpart, particularly in the realms of e-commerce and social media. As of July 2024, RedNote boasted approximately 300 million active users each month, according to data from the South China Morning Post.
In terms of financial backing, RedNote attracted substantial investments this past July, raising its valuation to $17 billion. Major investors include Boyu Capital and HongShan Capital Group, previously known as Sequoia Capital’s Chinese arm. Overall, RedNote has secured over $900 million in funding and employs more than 2,000 people, as per PitchBook.
Both RedNote and TikTok representatives were unavailable for immediate comment regarding these updates.
For further insights, check out the analysis video titled “TikTok viewed as ‘Chinese eyes and ears in Western society.'”
