WASHINGTON – Because the destiny of TikTok hangs within the steadiness, U.S. TikTok customers are flocking to the Chinese language social media app Xiaohongshu, additionally known as RedNote – making it the highest downloaded app within the U.S.
A few of the “TikTok refugees,” as they name themselves, say the TikTok alternative, a Chinese language app, is being chosen in protest of the TikTok ban. Here is what you might want to learn about Xiaohongshu.
What’s Xiaohongshu, the Chinese language app that ‘TikTok refugees’ poured to?
It’s a way of life social media app which permits customers to put up brief movies, photographs and texts, and it additionally contains capabilities like live-streaming and purchasing.
A uncommon wave of U.S.-China camaraderie broke out on-line in latest days as “refugees” from the favored brief video platform TikTok poured onto a Chinese language social media platform to protest a now-delayed ban on the service.
They have been met with shock, curiosity and in-jokes on Xiaohongshu – actually, “Little Crimson Guide” – whose customers noticed English-language posts take over feeds virtually in a single day.
Individuals launched themselves with hashtag TikTok refugees, ask me something angle and posting photographs of their pets to pay their hosts’ “cat tax.” Dad and mom swapped tales about elevating children and Swifties from each nations, in fact, shortly discovered one another.
It’s a uncommon second of direct contact between two on-line worlds which might be often stored aside by language, company boundaries, and China’s strict system of on-line censorship that blocks entry to almost all worldwide media and social media companies.
Why are Individuals downloading a Chinese language app?
Chinese language and American customers hardly ever discover themselves in the identical on-line areas, largely as a result of China’s “Nice Firewall” blocks internationally standard platforms like Instagram and X. Even TikTok blocks customers in China, directing them to its onshore sister platform Douyin.
However because the deadline approached for a legislation that might ban TikTok in america starting Jan. 19 except the favored social media program is offered by its China-based mum or dad firm, some started migrating to Xiaohongshu.
“After they inform us you’ll be able to’t have a Chinese language app anymore, we go straight to a different Chinese language app,” stated Katie Lawson, a farmer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who has posted movies of her chickens and saved many recipes from the app. “We’re going to go discover that nation and their values ourselves. We’re going to go straight to the supply.”
What’s the distinction between TikTok and Xiaohongshu?
Though TikTok is owned by a Chinese language mum or dad firm, the brief video platform standard with Technology Z is a global app whose content material and customers are walled off from these of the Chinese language model, Douyin.
Xiaohongshu’s 300 million month-to-month lively customers are overwhelmingly Chinese language – a lot in order that components of its interface don’t have any English-language model. They skew closely feminine, usually addressing strangers merely as “sister.”
Recognized for a pleasant ambiance that focuses on consumer critiques and peer-to-peer recommendation, it’s considered one of China’s fastest-growing apps. Overseas celebrities – together with Mariah Carey and Elon Musk’s mom Maye Musk — are longtime customers. Kim Kardashian joined the app again in 2018.
What number of Individuals have joined Xiaohongshu?
The corporate hasn’t launched official knowledge, however the app has reached No. 1 in free downloads on each iOS and Android, remaining in that spot for days.
On the platform, two variations of the TikTok refugee hashtag have over 24 million posts, with associated posts showing on the high of many customers’ feeds.
What are customers speaking about?
Numerous American customers say they’ve acquired a heat welcome from the group, with #TikTokrefugee. “Welcome the earth/world villagers” stays the highest one trending subject on Xiaohongshu, with 8.9 million views on Thursday.
Customers from each nations are evaluating notes on grocery costs, hire, medical insurance, medical payments and the connection between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Dad and mom discuss what the youngsters study at school in two nations. Some have already joined guide golf equipment and are build up a group.
American customers requested how Chinese language see the LGBTQ group and received warned that it was amongst delicate matters, Chinese language customers taught Individuals what are delicate matters and key phrases to keep away from censorship on the app. Chinese language college students pulled out their English homework, searching for assist.
How is the Chinese language authorities responding?
Chinese language state media, which have lengthy dismissed U.S. allegations towards TikTok, have welcomed the protest towards the ban.
Folks’s Day by day, China’s greatest nationwide newspaper, stated in an op-ed about TikTok refugees on Thursday that claims the TikTok refugees discovered a “new dwelling,” and “openness, communication, and mutual studying are the unchanging themes of mankind and the heartfelt wishes of individuals from all nations.”
The Chinese language Ministry of Overseas Affairs didn’t reply instantly to AP’s interview request.
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Cohen reported from Bangkok.
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