What is RedNote? Chinese app shoots to No. 1 amid threat of TikTok ban

What is RedNote? Chinese app shoots to No. 1 amid threat of TikTok ban

A Chinese short-video app called Xiaohongshu is now the top free app in the Apple App Store as social media users try to dodge a possible TikTok ban in the United States that is set to take effect on Sunday.

The app, called RedNote in English, works like a mix of Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest and has over 300 million monthly active users, significantly less than TikTok’s user base.

Launched in 2013, RedNote is one of the most popular apps in China.

According to TechCrunch, the company is valued at over $3 billion and has raised nearly $1 billion in venture capital.

In April, the US Congress passed a bipartisan bill banning TikTok unless it finds a new owner.

Federal officials have argued that the site poses “a national security threat of immense scope and magnitude” because of alleged ties to China and concerns that U.S. users’ data is being improperly shared with the communist government.

The TikTok ban is set to take effect on January 19, subject to any changes, a day before Trump assumes the presidency (AFP/Getty)

The TikTok ban is set to take effect on January 19, subject to any changes, a day before Trump assumes the presidency (AFP/Getty)

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have denied these allegations and are currently challenging the TikTok ban in the Supreme Court.

On Friday, the justices expressed skepticism about the company’s First Amendment arguments.

“Congress doesn’t care what’s on TikTok,” Chief Justice John Roberts said during oral argument. “They don’t care about the expression. This is what the means shows. They’re not saying TikTok has to stop. They say the Chinese have to stop controlling TikTok.”

The “law is directed only at that foreign corporation that does not have First Amendment rights,” Justice Elena Kagan added.

Donald Trump has sought to delay the ban, seeking a solution through, as his lawyer briefly put it, “political means once he takes office.”

Republicans tried to ban TikTok in 2020.

Observers argue that the ban would destroy the sprawling creator economy that depends on the platform.

“A TikTok ban would be absolutely disastrous for creators and the small businesses that rely on it,” Jess Maddox, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama, told CNN. “I have spent my career speaking to creatives and influencers. They are resilient, they will pivot, but in the meantime it will be a struggle and they will take a hit financially.”

Ahead of a possible ban, developers have also moved to using another popular app, Lemon8, owned by ByteDance, with similar features.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *