The next TikTok… What is the REDnote app?

As TikTok is set to be banned in the US, another Chinese app called REDnote has become the talk of the town, seeing a massive surge in popularity, adding 700,000 new users in just two days.
As a result, it has topped the list of most downloaded free apps on the Apple Store in the US.
A Chinese company called, ByteDance launched REDnote in 2013 under the Chinese name Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).
The app is a social media platform similar to Pinterest and Instagram, combining a focus on short-form visual content with interactive communities.
Red Note’s growing popularity comes as the US Supreme Court prepares to consider a decision to ban TikTok if parent company ByteDance doesn’t sell the app by January 19.
According to the ruling, TikTok will be illegal to distribute on app stores, and internet service providers will be required to block it on browsers in the US.
The ban was based on concerns about US national security.
According to media reports, the Supreme Court is expected to uphold the ban on this basis, despite criticism that it poses a challenge to freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, TikTok has continued to defend itself legally. During a recent hearing, the company’s lawyers noted that the ban would force the app to stop operating in the United States unless the court intervenes with an interim order.
As Red Note’s popularity grew, the parent company faced new challenges in managing content in multiple languages.
Despite being one of China’s largest social apps with more than 300 million users, the app lacked a significant presence outside the Chinese-speaking world.
REDnote has reportedly launched an urgent recruitment drive for moderators to manage English content and develop Chinese-English translation tools.
Despite its growing popularity, REDnote has faced criticism from American users over the platform’s strict censorship rules, which go beyond the usual restrictions on violent content or hate speech to include topics deemed politically sensitive.
However, many users have expressed their admiration for the app’s social experience.
American artist Heather Roberts, who has more than 32,000 followers on TikTok, said she found REDnote to be a kind and positive community.
As the TikTok ban continues to dominate headlines, analysts are watching the rise of REDnote as a potential alternative.
While the US government has yet to comment on the phenomenon, Chinese state media has been optimistic about the app’s future in international markets.
As the social media market continues to transform, it seems that competition between global platforms will witness more challenges and opportunities, especially with the change in users’ priorities towards applications that provide diverse content and a rich social experience.