With a U.S. ban on TikTok looming, self-proclaimed “refugees” are migrating to the Chinese social media app Rednote, creating a buzz among local netizens.

Newsweek reached out to TikTok and the Chinese embassy in the U.S. by email with requests for comment.

Why It Matters

TikTok is set to be banned on January 19, affecting 170 million American users and incurring losses on an estimated 2 million creators. That is unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests from the video-sharing site, as mandated by a law Congress passed last April, citing national security concerns. Chinese companies are legally required to comply with government requests for data.

With the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, unavailable on U.S. app stores, self-described “TikTok refugees” are flocking to Rednote, some aiming to build new followings and others seemingly protesting the looming ban.

What To Know

Rednote, which is known in China as Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), features a blend of lifestyle and social commerce content. Earlier this week, it rode the wave of interest to become one of the most downloaded apps on the Apple App Store in the U.S. The sudden influx of foreign accounts and English-language content has created a buzz on the app.

“Today I opened Xiaohongshu and found countless foreigners there who said they were Tiktok refugees and had fled to Xiaohongshu,” one netizen wrote in a post on China’s X-like microblogging site Weibo. “Now Chinese and English are mixed in Little Red Book, and it’s hilarious. Surprisingly the world has come together here.”

What People Are Saying

The newcomers have sparked curiosity, with some netizens offering welcome messages and tips, and others expressing interest in personalized glimpses into American life. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram are officially banned in China, though some users access these through virtual private networks.

“Haha, this heat will die down soon. ‘they’re just taking refuge for now,'” a Xiaohongshu user commented on one video expressing surprise at the change.

“Actually, no one [can] call you a refugee from here. We are all users,” a netizen in Shanghai wrote.

“All of you are welcome,” another user commented on one newcomer’s video, adding: “What will you do if Xiaohongshu is also banned?”

“Shoot more footage of what daily life is like in foreign countries. I want to broaden my horizons,” one netizen wrote. “Welcome to China. I really want to meet a foreign friend,” said another.

“Welcome, but do not say anything about LGBTQ+. Thank you!” a netizen in Beijing wrote, though others were quick to push back on the remark. Overt LGBTQ-related content is commonly restricted by Chinese government censors, on social media as well as TV shows and films.

Many Xiaohongshu users remarked that they couldn’t understand the English-language videos.

“Suggest adding a Chinese subtitle because I don’t understand a bit of it,” one wrote. “This is China. Please speak Chinese,” said another.

What’s Next

ByteDance has rejected calls to sell the app. The Supreme Court last week heard TikTok’s arguments but is widely expected to uphold the ban, as a federal appeals court did last month.

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump has expressed support for the app. Last month, he filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court calling for extending the divestment deadline until after he takes office on January 20.