JAKARTA New users flooded China's social media app, RedNote, just days ahead of the planned ban on TikTok in the United States. The less-known company is trying to take advantage of a sudden surge in users while trying to navigate the challenge of moderation of English-language content.

In a live chat titled TikTok Refuge in RedNote on Monday, JANUARY 13, more than 50,000 American and Chinese users joined.

Chinese veteran users, though with a bit of confusion, welcome their American counterparts and exchange views on topics such as food and youth unemployment. However, sometimes American users mention more sensitive topics.

"Can we ask about the legal differences between China and Hong Kong?" asked an American user. "We'd rather not discuss that here," replied one Chinese user.

Spontaneous cultural exchanges like this happen across RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu. The app shot to the top of the download rating in the US this week as American social media users searched for alternative TikTok, a ByteDance-owned app, ahead of the upcoming ban.

"In two days, more than 700,000 new users joined Xiaohongshu," said a source close to the company quoted by VOI from Reuters. RedNote downloads in the US increased by more than 200% compared to the previous year and 194% compared to the previous week, according to data firm Sensor Tower app forecast.

ByteDance's social media app Lemon8 also experienced a similar spike last month, with downloads jumping 190% in December to around 3.4 million.

This surge in users seems to surprise RedNote. Two sources familiar with the matter said the company was working hard to moderate English content and develop an English-Mandarian translation tool.

Unlike other Chinese social apps that have both domestic and international versions, RedNote only has one version of the app for all users, another step that Chinese applications rarely take that is subject to domestic moderation rules.

However, the company is trying hard to take advantage of this sudden concern, as its executive sees great opportunities to achieve global popularity like TikTok.

RedNote, which is backed by venture capital and has a recent valuation of 17 billion US dollars (Rp277.7 trillion), allows users to curate photos, videos, and text about their lives. The app has also become a de facto search engine for more than 300 million users to look for travel tips, anti-aging products, and restaurant recommendations.

Shares of several registered companies in China in business with RedNote, such as Hangzhou Onechance Tech Corp, jumped to 20% on Tuesday, January 14, reaching daily limits.

The surge in US users comes ahead of the January 19 deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok or face bans in the US on national security grounds. TikTok is currently used by about 170 million Americans, about half of the country's population, and is very popular with young people and advertisers.

The Americans who use the RedNote feel like a symbol of resistance to the US government who are considered to be too involved in business and privacy, said Stella Kittrell, 29, a content creator from Baltimore, Maryland.

Some users say they are joining the platform to look for alternatives from Meta's Facebook and Instagram, as well as Elon Musk's X. Many doubt that they can rebuild their TikTok follower base on these apps.

Not the same: Instagram, X, or other apps, said Brian Atabansi, 29, a business analyst and content creator from San Diego, California. Because on TikTok it is more organic to build a community," he added.


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