TikTok Refugees Find a New Home on China’s Xiaohongshu

The surge in interest has pushed the app

to the top of the U.S. Apple App Store

download rankings within days

Xinhua

Beijing: Amid fears of a potential TikTok ban by the U.S. government, foreign users are migrating to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social networking platform, sparking widespread discussions online.

#TikTokRefugee Trend Gains Momentum

On Xiaohongshu, known internationally as RedNote, hashtags like #TikTokRefugee have attracted hundreds of thousands of posts, primarily from users in the United States. The surge in interest has pushed the app to the top of the U.S. Apple App Store download rankings within days.

TikTok, owned by ByteDance, boasts around 170 million users in the U.S. Concerns over data privacy and national security have led to long-standing efforts in Washington to restrict the app. A Supreme Court ruling on Jan. 19 may enforce a ban or require ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations to an American company.

Some content creators are mocking the situation. “They tried to ban TikTok for national security, so everyone now uses an actual Chinese app,” one user joked in a Xiaohongshu post. Another sarcastically noted, “TikTok refugees are migrating to legitimate Chinese apps to willingly share their data.”

Chinese Tech Companies Face U.S. Scrutiny

The TikTok controversy is part of a broader pattern of restrictions targeting Chinese tech firms like Huawei and DJI. Critics argue these measures harm U.S. consumers.

“U.S. TikTok users are voting with their feet,” said Lyu Xiang, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization. “Actions like this not only damage normal business operations but also harm the interests of the American public.”

Lyu encouraged Washington to promote fair competition and innovation rather than suppressing foreign companies.

Warm Welcome in China

Xiaohongshu users are embracing the influx of “TikTok refugees,” offering tips on food, travel, and even free language lessons. Founded in 2013, Xiaohongshu has evolved into a lifestyle platform combining social media and e-commerce, enabling users to share content and shop seamlessly.

“Welcome to this vibrant community,” said a Beijing-based English interpreter on Xiaohongshu. Users from Sichuan shared recipes, while others sought help with English assignments.

A new user, “Rosie_in_Wonderland,” praised Xiaohongshu’s simplicity and expressed hope of building a community similar to TikTok. “You are not refugees; you are explorers,” commented another user, encouraging the newcomers.

As the debate over TikTok’s future continues, platforms like Xiaohongshu are carving a niche, providing a new digital home for displaced creators.