A large number of Americans have moved to Xiaohongshu, a hugely popular social media app in China.
The app, Xiaohongshu means “Little Red Book,” often shortened by US users to RedNote.
Xiaohongshu is a social networking and e-commerce platform.
In the Xiaohongshu community, information is presented in a photo wall-style layout while combining video and live streaming features, and users can also share product reviews and text descriptions of travel destinations.
Xiaohongshu's headquarters are in Huangpu District, Shanghai.
Founded in 2013, the Xiaohongshu is one of China’s biggest social media platforms with 300 million users, according to research firm Qian Gua.
Described as China’s answer to Instagram, the app has become especially popular for sharing tips on travel, makeup and fashion.
Users can blog on Xiaohongshu, covering various subjects such as beauty, fashion, food, travel, entertainment, fitness, parenting and more. The social feature of Xiaohongshu is to discover new brands.
The platform also includes an in-app shopping interface for users to browse, search, and purchase products.
Xiaohongshu was mentioned in some media articles as "China's answer to Instagram" or "Chinese Instagram".
Xiaohongshu is surging in popularity worldwide in the same week that TikTok could potentially go offline in the US.
A growing number of American TikTok users have started appearing on the platform, often saying they’re doing so as an act of defiance against Washington’s move to control TikTok.
“Our government is out of their minds if they think we’re going to stand for this TikTok ban,” a user called Heather Roberts said in a video message on Xiaohongshu, which has garnered more than 45,000 likes. “We’re just going to a new Chinese app, and here we are,” Xiaohongshu told CNN.
“This is so much better than TikTok,” another self-proclaimed “refugee” said in a video message. “Americans are coming here … so sorry you’ll hate us, but I promise we’ll do our best.”