Chinese Platform RedNote Tops US App Charts as Americans Defy TikTok Ban

A Chinese social media app called RedNote is currently at the top of the App Store charts after TikTok users are reportedly fleeing there ahead of the imminent ban.

RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu which means “little red book” in Mandarin, offers a mix of short-form videos, pictures, and text posts. The app has over 300 million users, mostly in China.

The hashtag “TikTokrefugee” has been viewed over 100 million times on RedNote as Americans find themselves interacting with Chinese people on the app. The New York Times reports that on Tuesday, over 100,000 people joined a live group chat hosted by a user named “TikTok Refugee Club,” where people from around the world chatted with Chinese users.

RedNote isn’t the only Chinese app getting a surge in users because of TikTok’s imminent ban: Lemon8, which is owned by TikTok’s parent company Bytedance, is also experiencing a boom and is currently number two on the App Store.

“How funny would it be if they ban TikTok and we all just move over to this Chinese app,” writes Manimatana Lee on TikTok encouraging her followers to join her on RedNote.

The U.S. Supreme Court have signaled their intention to uphold the TikTok ban. A report yesterday revealed that China is considering selling TikTok to Elon Musk.

Why is TikTok Getting Banned?

Multiple U.S. agencies and public officials have stated that TikTok poses a national security risk to the United States because, at any time, the Chinese government could compel the company to hand over a huge trove of US citizens’ personal data.

The law that called for the Chinese-based parent company Bytedance to divest or be banned was passed last year and signed by President Joe Biden. TikTok has since sued multiple times in an attempt to overturn the law, but appeals courts upheld the ban — it was denied an emergency bid to stop the ban from taking place on December 16, 2024 — to this point which has led to it appearing before the Supreme Court.

“Congress has passed my legislation to strengthen our national security and send a message to the world about the power of American leadership: we stand resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression,” President Biden said last year when the bill was signed into law.

TikTok has faced scrutiny and bans from both sides of the American political aisle. Before President Biden’s term, then-president Trump attempted to ban the app via executive order which was found to be unconstitutional. In response, congress worked to pass the ban as a law in 2024. Trump has since flip-flopped, now saying that he vows to overturn the law once sworn in.

“We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail,” TikTok said in a public response to the passage of the law last year.

“The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.”