US ‘TikTok refugees’ discover China’s RedNote as app tops Apple’s charts

Chinese users of Shanghai-based RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, welcome American arrivals to the platform

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American users of TikTok have been flocking to Xiaohongshu, a Shanghai-based social media platform that blends e-commerce and user-generated content. Illustration: Reuters

Published: 11:28am, 14 Jan 2025Updated: 12:56pm, 15 Jan 2025

TikTok users fleeing the ByteDance-owned social platform ahead of a crucial Supreme Court decision on its future sent a rival Chinese app to the top of Apple’s charts in the US on Monday.

While the exact number of downloads is unknown, the Apple store put RedNote as the No 1 free-to-use social media platform across all free iPhone apps in the US.

The exodus of “TikTok refugees” has been spurred by mounting concerns over the app’s fate in the wake of last week’s Supreme Court oral arguments, in which the justices seemed to lean towards national security over free speech.

Many of TikTok’s American users began to anticipate a potential ban of the platform, fearing that the app’s Chinese ownership would become a critical point in the court’s decision.

US influencer Nuha – who has more than 1.5 million followers on TikTok and about 135,000 on Instagram – is among those signing up for RedNote’s blend of e-commerce and user-generated content.

“Hi guys, TikTok refugee here. I am so nervous to be on this app but I also find it to be really exciting and thrilling that we are all doing this,” said Nuha, in her first video posted to RedNote on Sunday.