Days Away From U.S. TikTok Ban, ‘Refugees’ Flood to Rival Chinese App
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American users flock to Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, or Rednote, calling themselves “TikTok refugees.”
As the day approaches when ByteDance Ltd. may have to either sell or shutter TikTok’s U.S. operations, the app’s American users are flocking to another Chinese social media platform.
The trend has seen Xiaohongshu — known as Rednote in English — become the most downloaded free app on Apple’s U.S. App Store, followed by ByteDance-owned lifestyle app Lemon8.
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- U.S. users are migrating from TikTok to Xiaohongshu, which is now the most downloaded app on Apple's U.S. App Store.
- There is no evidence supporting allegations of Meta influencing a TikTok ban, but previous reports suggest Meta funded anti-TikTok campaigns.
- If TikTok is banned, ByteDance may sell its U.S. operations or integrate with Lemon8, an Instagram-like app popular in Southeast Asia.
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Who’s Who
- ByteDance Ltd.
- ByteDance Ltd. is the owner of TikTok, which is facing a potential sale or shutdown in the U.S. due to regulatory challenges. The company also owns Lemon8, an Instagram-like lifestyle app, and is exploring ways to retain its U.S. user base if a TikTok ban occurs. ByteDance is reportedly evaluating options, including Elon Musk possibly acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations.
- Xiaohongshu
- Xiaohongshu, also known as Rednote, is a Chinese lifestyle-focused social media platform initially launched in 2013 for sharing product reviews. It offers a combination of pictures, short videos, and text posts. Recently, it has become popular among American users as a potential alternative to TikTok amid concerns over TikTok's operations in the U.S. These users, termed "TikTok refugees," are looking for platforms independent from U.S. political influences.
- The article mentions that in 2022, The Washington Post reported Meta Platforms Inc., owner of Facebook and Instagram, paid a digital marketing agency to place anti-TikTok opinion pieces in U.S. publications, accusing the app of being dangerous for American children. This was seen as part of a broader strategy against TikTok amidst ByteDance's challenges in maintaining its U.S. operations.
- Meta Platforms Inc.
- Meta Platforms Inc., the owner of Facebook and Instagram, reportedly paid a digital marketing agency to place anti-TikTok opinion pieces in U.S. publications. These pieces accused the Chinese-owned app of being a danger to American children, among other disparaging claims.
- TikTok
- TikTok may be forced to sell or shut down its U.S. operations due to political issues. The U.S. Supreme Court is evaluating if a ban violates the First Amendment, risking TikTok “going dark” soon. Claims about Elon Musk acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations were denied by TikTok. ByteDance is trying to retain its U.S. userbase by linking TikTok accounts to its other app, Lemon8.
- Lemon8
- Lemon8 is a lifestyle app owned by ByteDance, similar to Instagram, where users can post images and videos. TikTok recently announced plans for users to access Lemon8 directly through their TikTok accounts, indicating efforts to retain its U.S. userbase amidst a potential TikTok ban. As of September, nearly a quarter of Lemon8’s downloads were from the U.S., with the majority from Southeast Asia, according to app tracker data.ai.
- The article mentions Instagram in the context of users rejecting it in favor of Xiaohongshu as a form of protest against the U.S. government. Additionally, Meta Platforms Inc., the owner of Instagram, allegedly paid to place anti-TikTok opinion pieces in U.S. publications. Lemon8, another ByteDance app, is described as Instagram-like, offering a platform for posting images and videos.
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What Happened When
- 2022：
- The Washington Post reported that Meta Platforms Inc. paid a digital marketing agency to place anti-TikTok opinion pieces in U.S. publications.
- As of September 2024：
- Nearly a quarter of Lemon8's downloads are from the U.S.
- November 12, 2024：
- TikTok announced plans to allow users to directly access the Lemon8 app through their TikTok accounts.
- As of November 2024：
- There are 7 million U.S. accounts doing business on TikTok's platform.
- Last Friday, January 10, 2025：
- The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether the TikTok ban violates the First Amendment.
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