TikTok customers within the US are migrating to a Chinese language app known as RedNote with the specter of a ban simply days away.
The transfer by customers who name themselves “TikTok refugees” has made RedNote probably the most downloaded app on Apple’s US App Retailer on Monday.
RedNote is a TikTok competitor well-liked with younger folks in China, Taiwan and different Mandarin-speaking populations.
It has about 300 million month-to-month customers and appears like a mix of TikTok and Instagram. It permits customers, largely younger city girls, to change way of life ideas from courting to style.
Supreme Court docket justices are on account of rule on a legislation that set a 19 January deadline for TikTok to both promote its US operations or face a ban within the nation.
TikTok has repeatedly mentioned that it’ll not promote its US enterprise and its attorneys have warned {that a} ban will violate free speech protections for the platform’s 170 million customers within the US.
In the meantime, RedNote has welcomed its new customers with open arms. There are 63,000 posts on the subject “TikTok refugee”, the place new customers are taught how one can navigate the app and how one can use primary Chinese language phrases.
“To our Chinese language hosts, thanks for having us – sorry prematurely for the chaos,” a brand new US consumer wrote.
However like TikTok, there have additionally been reviews of censorship on RedNote in relation to criticism of the Chinese language authorities.
In Taiwan, public officers are restricted from utilizing RedNote on account of alleged safety dangers of Chinese language software program.
As extra US customers joined RedNote, some Chinese language customers have additionally jokingly referred to themselves as “Chinese language spies”, a reference to US officers’ issues that TikTok may very well be utilized by China as a instrument for spying and political manipulation.
RedNote’s Chinese language identify, Xiaohongshu, interprets to Little Pink Guide, however the app says it isn’t a reference to Chinese language communist chief Mao Zedong’s guide of quotations with the identical identify.
However safety issues haven’t deterred customers from flocking to RedNote.
Sarah Fotheringham, a 37-year-old college canteen employee in Utah, says the transfer to RedNote is a technique to “snub” the federal government.
“I am only a easy particular person dwelling a easy life,” Ms Fotheringham advised the ORIONEWS in a RedNote message.
“I haven’t got something that China does not, and if they need my information that dangerous they will have it.”
Marcus Robinson, a designer in Virginia, mentioned he created his RedNote account over the weekend to share his clothes model and “be forward of the curve”.
Mr Robinson advised the ORIONEWS he was was solely “barely hesitant” about accepting the phrases and situations of utilizing the app, which had been written in Mandarin.
“I wasn’t capable of truly learn them in order that was a little bit regarding to me,” he mentioned, “however I took my likelihood.”
Whereas a ban is not going to make TikTok disappear instantly, it would require app shops to cease providing it – which may kill it over time.
However even when TikTok dodges a ban, it might show helpless towards customers transferring to various platforms.
Some social media customers inform the ORIONEWS that they discover themselves scrolling on RedNote greater than TikTok.
“Even when TikTok does keep I’ll proceed to make use of my platform I’ve created on RedNote,” Tennessee tech employee Sydney Crawley advised the ORIONEWS.
Ms Crawley mentioned she bought over 6,000 followers inside 24 hours of making her RedNote account.
“I’ll proceed to attempt to construct a following there and see what new connections, friendships, or alternatives it brings me.”
Ms Fotheringham, the canteen employee, mentioned RedNote “opened my world as much as China and its folks”.
“I’m now capable of see issues I by no means would have seen,” she mentioned. “Common Chinese language folks, discovering out about their tradition, life, college, every thing, it has been a lot enjoyable.”
The group up to now has been “tremendous welcoming”, mentioned Mr Robinson, the designer.
“I like RedNote up to now … I simply must discover ways to converse Mandarin!”