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2025 TikTok–REDnote migration

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2025 TikTok–REDnote migration
Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok
Date14 January 2025 – present
CausePossible US TikTok ban
MotivePreventing a TikTok ban
ParticipantsTikTok users
OutcomeOngoing
– over 2.7 million TikTok users migrated to REDnote

The 2025 TikTok–REDnote migration is an event that occurred before the possible TikTok ban in the United States. Over 2.7 million TikTok users migrated to a similar Chinese app called Xiaohongshu (or REDnote) in protest on January 2025.

The app has stricter censorship and content moderation policies than TikTok and, despite the uptake in popularity, is also not immune to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

Background

Main article: Restrictions on TikTok in the United States

In 2020, the then-President Donald Trump encouraged a nation-wide ban on TikTok. After Joe Biden took office in 2021, his administration paused the orders targeting TikTok and WeChat. Instead, Biden ordered a broader review of apps with ties to foreign powers, making a shift towards a calmer approach. However, tensions between the United States and China continued to grow and TikTok remained under investigation from both lawmakers and federal agencies. Concerns over data privacy, misinformation and its impact on the American youth became major issues, with both Democratic and Republican politicians in support of a ban. In 2025, returning President-elect Trump stated that he wanted to "save the app".

In 2023 and 2024, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in front of the US Senate Judiciary Committee and the House of Representatives. Despite his efforts to ease tensions, both houses passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act in April 2024, setting a deadline for TikTok to either be sold to a US-based company before 20 January 2025 or be banned. On 15 January 2025, TikTok announced a national shutdown in the United States.

Migration

On 14 January, a large number of TikTok users started downloading a similar Chinese app called Xiaohongshu (or REDnote), in protest of the ban. The hashtag "#tiktokrefugee" and term "TikTok refugee" became viral on REDnote, being used by both Americans and Chinese who shared positive exchanges such as a "cat tax" involving commenting pictures of their cats to be welcomed. In a short span of time, the numbers rose up to over 2.7 million, with REDnote increasing recruitment of English-speaking moderators to review content.

However, the new users noticed that REDnote has stricter censorship and content moderation policies than TikTok and users can be banned for discussing topics critical of the Chinese government including the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and potential issues of Uyghurs.

References

  1. "TikTok may face a U.S. shutdown by January 19 unless Supreme Court intervenes". KTTN-FM 92.3 and KGOZ -FM 101.7. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  2. Dedezade, Esat. "RedNote Gets 3 Million 'TikTok Refugees' In A Day. Could It Be Banned, Too?". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  3. Reporter, Mandy Taheri Weekend (2025-01-17). "Chinese state media cheers "TikTok refugees" flocking to RedNote". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  4. "Leave It to TikTokers to Turn Protesting Into a Meme". Bloomberg.com. 2025-01-13. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  5. Hale, Erin. "TikTok users in US flock to 'China's Instagram' ahead of ban". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
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  16. ^ Shepardson, David; Scarcella, Mike (6 December 2024). "US appeals court upholds TikTok law forcing its sale". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
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  19. Shepherd, Christian; Chiang, Vic; Northrop, Katrina (14 January 2025). "'TikTok refugees' flock to another (heavily censored) Chinese app". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  20. LOW, Tommy WANG and Zoe. "'Take My Data': US 'TikTok Refugees' Flock To Alternative Chinese App". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
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  22. Tayir, Hassan; Cheung, Eric (2025-01-14). "The great social media migration: Sudden influx of US users to RedNote connects Chinese and Americans like never before | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  23. Jing, Shuang (2025-01-14). "Xiaohongshu: the new home for "TikTok refugees" · TechNode". TechNode. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  24. hanjianwei (2025-01-15). "TikTok refugees Flock to Xiaohongshu to 'Pay the Cat Tax'". PopAi. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
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  26. "Chinese RedNote Users Welcome American 'TikTok Refugees', Seek 'Cat Tax', Exchange Homeworks". News18. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  27. thông, Báo Giao (2025-01-17). "RedNote attracts nearly 3 million "TikTok refugees" in one day - Vietnam.vn". Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  28. "小红书走向国际化，小红书连夜招聘英文内容审核员" [Xiaohongshu goes international, recruiting English content reviewers overnight]. finance.sina.cn (in zh_CN). 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  29. Goh, Brenda (15 January 2025). "China gives a wary welcome to influx of 'TikTok refugees' on RedNote". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  30. "RedNote Blocks Posts on Tiananmen Square, Uyghurs as Migrating TikTok Users Spot Chinese Censorship". Yahoo News. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
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