Users turn to new app as TikTok ban looms

With the threat of a TikTok ban in the US looming, many Americans are turning to a new app called RedNote as an alternative. These users, who have been called "TikTok refugees," have helped the newly discovered platform become the most downloaded app on Apple's US App Store.

This Chinese-owned app, known as Xiaohongshu in China, allows users to post short videos and live-stream, similar to how TikTok works. It features content such as product reviews, comedy, and influencer videos and has even been compared to Pinterest for its e-commerce focus.

Launched in 2013, RedNote has gained massive popularity in China and is now seeing a surge in US users.

On January 13, 2025, the number of downloads for RedNote peaked on Apple's App Store in the US, as people flocked to it in case TikTok is banned. Although most of RedNote's content is in Chinese, the app has been updated to be more user-friendly for English speakers.

TikTok's potential ban in the US comes after lawmakers raised national security concerns, believing the Chinese government might use the app to spy on Americans.

TikTok has denied these claims, but in April 2024, the US government passed a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to sell the app by January 19, 2025, or face a ban. The Supreme Court could intervene to stop the law from going into effect.

If the law stands, app stores could stop allowing new users to download TikTok, and the app may no longer receive updates.