Everything to Know About TikTok Alternative RedNote Amid US Ban Concerns

RedNote is gaining traction as TikTok faces a potential US ban, attracting many new users seeking alternatives

Everything to Know About TikTok Alternative RedNote Amid US Ban Concerns
Everything to Know About TikTok Alternative RedNote Amid US Ban Concerns

Washington: A new app called RedNote is making waves this week. With TikTok possibly facing a ban in the US, many users are jumping ship to this alternative.

On January 13, RedNote topped the charts as the most downloaded app on Apple’s US App Store. It’s a big deal, especially since TikTok has around 170 million users in the country.

The Supreme Court is set to decide on a law that could force TikTok to sell its US operations or get banned by January 19, according to BBC News.

Officials have raised concerns about TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, claiming it has ties to the Chinese government. The US Justice Department has labeled TikTok a significant national-security threat due to its access to American user data.

Both TikTok and ByteDance deny any connections to the Chinese government and insist that user data is safe.

Interestingly, there are no plans to ban TikTok in the UK at this time.

So, what’s RedNote all about? It’s a popular TikTok competitor, especially among young folks in China, Taiwan, and other Mandarin-speaking areas.

With around 300 million monthly users, it combines elements of TikTok and Instagram. Users, mainly young urban women, share lifestyle tips ranging from dating advice to fashion trends.

Some US users, who refer to themselves as “TikTok refugees,” have started using RedNote. There are even 63,000 posts under the “TikTok refugee” tag, where newcomers learn how to use the app and pick up some basic Chinese phrases.

RedNote’s Chinese name, Xiaohongshu, means Little Red Book, but the app clarifies it’s not linked to Mao Zedong’s famous book.

However, like TikTok, RedNote has faced accusations of censorship, especially regarding criticism of the Chinese government. In Taiwan, public officials are even barred from using the app due to security concerns.

RedNote was co-founded in 2013 by Miranda Qu and Charlwin Mao in Shanghai, and it’s been growing ever since.

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