TikTok Alternative ‘Red Note’ No Better Than the Original

Helen Raleigh writes for the Federalist about a poor substitute for the controversial TikTok.

Now America faces an even more dangerous data security landscape because, anticipating a looming TikTok ban, many American users had begun searching for alternatives. One app that has emerged as a popular choice for these so-called TikTok “refugees” is “Red Note,”  a Chinese app that has rapidly gained traction in the U.S. Taylor Lorenz, a former tech writer for The New York Times and The Washington Post, has taken to X to encourage her followers to join her on Red Note, labeling it “the hottest new social app in America!!”

Red Note is owned by Xingin Information Technology, a company based in Shanghai. The app’s Chinese name is Xiaohongshu, which translates to “Little Red Book.” This name pays tribute to the small book containing quotes from the speeches and writings of Chinese Communist dictator Chairman Mao. During China’s Cultural Revolution, millions of Chinese citizens were required to carry these little books with bright red covers to study and memorize Mao’s words anytime and anywhere. The book was also a popular wedding gift during that era, as it was one of the few items readily available amid widespread shortages of other goods.

Mao Wenchao, the Chinese founder of Red Note, has no known relation to Chairman Mao. He asserts that while his app plays off a name familiar to the Chinese people, it does not endorse or promote Chinese nationalism. Like TikTok, Red Note allows users to share short videos and chat about seemingly harmless topics, such as cat videos, fashion, and travel tips.

The key difference between TikTok and Red Note is that TikTok, developed by ByteDance, is not available in China. …

… In contrast, Red Note is aimed at a Chinese-speaking audience, with most of its interface and functionality written in Chinese. Red Note is one of China’s fastest-growing social media sites, boasting 300 million users. Despite being one of the few made-in-China apps available in the U.S., most Americans had not heard of it until recently.