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Why This Chinese-Owned Social Media Site Jumped to No. 1 on App Store

Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash

Why This Chinese-Owned Social Media Site Jumped to No. 1 on App Store

By Movieguide® Contributor

As the ban on TikTok draws ever closer, users are seeking alternative platforms, and currently, the top destination is Xiaohongshu (Red Note), another Chinese-owned app.

Red Note is a TikTok-like social media site that allows users to post videos, photos, text and livestream. The app has seen 700,000 new users in the past few days, per Reuters, causing it to become the top free app on the App Store.

For many, though, downloading and signing up for the app is a form of protest, migrating from one Chinese-owned app to another. Because the law banning TikTok can apply to any platform owned by a foreign adversary, Red Note is just as susceptible to getting banned as TikTok.

Nonetheless, Red Note has become a primary destination for “TikTok Refugees,” with 100,000 users joining a group chat on the app for users migrating from TikTok.

Red Note isn’t the only Chinese-owned platform users are flocking to as the ban nears. TikTok has been pushing users to join Lemon8, another site run by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance. Lemon8 saw 3.4 million new users in December, a 190% jump in downloads.

READ MORE: HERE’S TIKTOK’S BACKUP PLAN AS BAN LOOMS

While the ban on TikTok is not yet official, it will likely occur. Immediately after President Biden signed the ban into law last year, TikTok confidently announced it would be overturned by the courts for violating the First Amendment. After being denied by lower courts, TikTok’s argument is now being assessed by the Supreme Court which will weigh in before the ban goes into effect on Jan. 19. However, the justices were coldly receptive to TikTok’s lawyers during the trial, making the likelihood low that they side in favor with the company.

TikTok’s final hope, therefore, is with President-elect Donald Trump who shares an affinity for the platform since his reelection, claiming TikTok helped him connect with young voters who swung the vote in his favor. Trump, however, can’t take any legal action to aid TikTok until he is sworn into office on Jan. 20, leaving the platform with at least one blackout day.

Trump has also received strong support from all U.S.-based social media sites since his reelection, with many pledging him millions of dollars. It remains unknown if this support will change his stance towards TikTok.

READ MORE: WILL SUPREME COURT UPHOLD LOOMING TIKTOK BAN? WHAT WE KNOW


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