CBN Special丨A modern cyber-Exodus: Why “TikTok refugees” flee to Xiaohongshu and what’s next?

If you’re a regular user on Chinese lifestyle sharing app Xiaohongshu, you might be baffled with a flood of English-language content, which only happened overnight.

Thousands of self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees” are flocking to Xiaohongshu, or RedNote by US users, which surged to the top position on Apple’s US App Store on Tuesday, as TikTok faces a potential ban in the US.

Data research firm Sensor Tower showed that Xiaohongshu's US downloads surged more than 200 percent year-on-year this week and 194 percent last week. And the number is growing by the day.

As many US users are feeling that TikTok’s days are numbered and could be deleted from US app stores, they are looking for the next place to go. Hence an intriguing internet spectacle emerges.

Why Xiaohongshu?

Over the weekend, thousands of people began swarming to Xiaohongshu, which is known in China as a platform for travel and lifestyle content.

The newcomers, who refer to the app as the Chinese version of Instagram, are relying on translation tools to navigate Xiaohongshu’s mostly Chinese ecosystem.

Some say they are hoping to rebuild communities they had on TikTok, while others say they joined the app out of spite and to undermine the US government’s decision to ban TikTok over concerns that “the Chinese government could use the app to surveil Americans.”

The US Supreme Court is expected to decide whether the app can continue operating in the country before the January 19 deadline. TikTok plans to shut its app for US users from Sunday, unless the Supreme Court moves to block it, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The TikTok ban might have catapulted Xiaohongshu to the center of attention in the US, but the app has been successful for a long time in China.

Originally launched in 2013, the Shanghai-based company has operated one of the most, if not the most, trendy platforms in China over the past few years and boasts over 300 million monthly active users and surpassed US$1 billion in profit in 2024.

To put it simply, it’s the hottest app in China that non-Chinese people might have never heard of before.

It also has a sizable following among Chinese-speakers outside of the country, ranging from Chinese students overseas to Chinese-speaking communities in Malaysia. Restaurants, tourist hot spots, and travel companies around the world have started noticing the app because of how many Chinese tourists heavily rely on it for local information and recommendations shared by fellow Chinese people.

When these American TikTokers started looking for alternatives, Xiaohongshu offered a cozy yet exciting new home. It's like walking into a new coffee shop that has the same warm, inviting smell as your old favorite. The video interface on Xiaohongshu, with those nifty like, save, and comment buttons on the right side, bears a striking resemblance to Douyin, TikTok’s Chinese twin. Plus, the graphic and text-heavy community is somewhat similar to Instagram, another platform they were familiar with. So, it was easy for them to jump right in and start exploring.

Why not going back to Facebook or Instagram, you might wonder. One American user explained in his video that one of the things that they liked about TikTok was the authentic engagement from other users and they felt comfortable to put themselves into the videos they are sharing. They feel the same with RedNote.

“Instagram has always been a place that feels very manufactured, very fake. It’s a very toxic place. And Facebook is just where your grandparents share AI generated images of Jesus,” he said. The post has garnered over 76,500 likes as of today.

The great cross-pacific chatfest: Cat tax, English corner and more

The sudden migration of US users to Xiaohongshu has created an unlikely platform for Chinese and American users to interact with each other.

Many of the newcomers are apologizing for not knowing Putonghua and paying the "cat tax" to stay here. But Chinese Xiaohongshu users are fascinated by the influx of new voices. Most of them, especially those who speak English, are extending a welcoming hand, liking the videos posted by TikTok refugees and following their accounts. Some are taking the time to try to explain how the app works to people who find it hard to navigate due to the language barrier on the comment section.

This has ignited a vibrant and uproarious cross-cultural conversation bonanza on Xiaohongshu. American and Chinese netizens are colliding in the most delightful way, turning the platform into a global playground of ideas, laughter, and shared experiences.

"This could be a historic moment," one Chinese user commented. "It feels like so much has changed in an instant. Ordinary people from our two countries have never really connected before ... I hope everyone can take this brief chance to engage in meaningful exchanges of ideas.”

And vice-versa. An American user posted a cute video of her dog wearing a Chinese-style outfit, captioned “My best attempt at Chinese.” The comments were flooded with Chinese netizens not only complimenting the adorable pooch but also patiently correcting her Chinese. 

Some Chinese users even seized the opportunity to ask for help with their English homework in a viral post that garnered over 2,000 likes. Both English and Chinese livestreaming “study groups” have sprung up all over the platform, with natives speakers helping out each other in an unprecedented wave of language learning.

These spontaneous interactions are not just random conversations. They are building bridges between two cultures, one comment at a time, and making Xiaohongshu a truly unique and special place in the social media universe.

Can Xiaohongshu handle this tsunami of traffic?

So far, Xiaohongshu has been riding this wave of new users like a pro surfer catching the biggest wave of the season, as the app has shot to the top of the free chart in the Apple App Store in the US and the keyword “RedNote” has seen a meteoric rise in Google search trends.

Companies that have a stake in Xiaohongshu, like those in the e-commerce and marketing sectors, are probably doing a little happy dance as their stock prices get a healthy boost.

On Wednesday, more than 10 companies that do business directly or indirectly with Xiaohongshu hit their daily limits on multiple stock markets. The standouts included Hangzhou Onechance Tech Corp, an e-commerce service provider in the A-share market, and Sunwave Communications, a wireless communication technology provider.

But let’s not get too exited about what’s going on. Can Xiaohongshu handle this sudden shoot to stardom? Or is the influx of English-speaking users really what the app wants?

First up, content management is like trying to herd cats. With users from different legal and cultural backgrounds, Xiaohongshu has to walk a fine line. What might be acceptable in the US might not fly in China and vice versa. The platform needs to find a balance that respects everyone's values while keeping the content engaging.

Second, it’s still early to tell if Xiaohongshu’s sudden rise to fame is going to fade soon. At least so far, pettiness and revenge appear to be the biggest motivation for people to learn how to navigate Xiaohongshu, which is overwhelmingly used by Chinese-speaking people and was not designed with English-speaking users in mind. “I have no idea what I’m doing here. I can’t even read the rules,” one TikTok refugee who goes by “Elle belle” said in a post on the app.

Indeed, Xiaohongshu isn’t actually designed for English speakers, while TikTok isn’t in China at all. One of the app’s key features is its content algorithm, which focuses on user interests rather than the people they follow. Some users say this fosters more original content and reduces the dominance of powerful influencers.

The company behind the app, Xingin Information Technology, was founded by Charlwin Mao and Miranda Qu and is headquartered in Shanghai. And TikTok is owned by Chinese internet company ByteDance and was tailored for a global audience. TikTok is also not accessible in China, where a sister app, Douyin, serves the domestic market.

But earlier this month, Xiaohongshu revamped its video playback interface, repositioning interaction buttons and making its design increasingly similar to Douyin.

Finally, the business model needs a bit of a tune-up. American users have different consumption habits compared to their Chinese counterparts. In July 2024, Ke Nan, the COO of Xiaohongshu, positioned the app to be a lifestyle e-commerce platform. It needs some time to see whether the newcomers can really integrate into the app’s ecosystem when the initial freshness and excitement have passed before new opportunities emerge.

In the long run, Xiaohongshu still needs to find a way to get along with the newcomers. What's even more critical is how it capitalizes on this opportunity to sustain international users over the long term and reshape the global social media landscape.

The TikTok refugees' journey to Xiaohongshu has been one wild ride. It's a story of unexpected connections, cultural exchanges, and a platform's struggle to keep up with its newfound fame. Whether Xiaohongshu will be able to turn this tidal wave of traffic into a longterm success story remains to be seen.

Executive Editor: Sonia YU

Editor: LI Yanxia

Host: Stephanie LI

Writer: Stephanie LI

Sound Editor: Stephanie LI

Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni

Produced by 21st Century Business Herald Dept. of Overseas News.

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