Amid TikTok Ban, Users Flee to RedNote

Amid speculation of a potential TikTok ban in the United States, many former TikTok users are fleeing to RedNote, another social media website.

TikTok has remained one of the largest, if not the largest, social media sites on the American market. It has mastered the short-form media algorithm, popularizing its quick-to-watch "reels" system in which content creators post short videos in a minute of less. It has attracted attention from almost all walks of life, from 5-year-olds to the elderly, for its diverse collection of content appealing to all ages.

However, the U.S. government has taken great action into limiting TikTok's operations in the country. Due to security concerns with the People's Republic of China being one of the U.S.'s greatest military threats, as well as the lack of a buyer to purchase the platform from its Chinese holder ByteDance, TikTok has become a key target of a possible ban entirely. Now, with the Supreme Court taking the mantle of the debate over its American sovereignty, it is entirely possible that a ban could take effect in a week or less.

As a result, many of rebellious users who've previously shouted "Free TikTok" have fled to the similarly Chinese-held social media site RedNote, which has been touted as the next TikTok. Like TikTok, it has embraced many of the short-form content strategies which made the social media algorithm addictive and user-friendly.

Also known as Xiaohongshu, RedNote had its beginnings in 2013, when social media sites were feeble. In China, Xiaohongshu is one of the largest social media sites, surpassing 300 million users. Now, in the United States and in many other countries, users are fleeing to the Chinese social media giant as a possible substitute for a banned TikTok.

In the past few days, the site reached #1 in app downloads and is surging in stock price.