As a divest-or-ban law threatens to shut off American access to TikTok, Chinese social media app RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu) has become the top downloaded iPhone app in the US. The platform, commonly referred to as China’s version of Instagram, has seen a surge in popularity among American users.
Chinese users have started using the hashtag #TikTokRefugee on RedNote, seeking help with English homework from their new American counterparts. One viral post requested assistance with homework and received over 10,000 comments from Americans eager to assist. The hashtag itself has been viewed over 64 million times, according to data.
The sudden interest in Chinese social media platforms is partly a reaction to the divest-or-ban law, which requires TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, to sell the app if it wants to continue operating in the US. As the law looms closer, users are flocking to alternative apps like RedNote and Lemon8, both owned by ByteDance.
“This is just retaliation towards the government in a way that feels very native to Gen Z,” said Meagan Loyst, founder of investor collective Gen Z VCs. The surge in popularity of these platforms highlights the growing importance of social media in shaping cultural exchange between East and West.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/china-app-xiaohongshu-americans-tiktok-ban-help-homework-rednote-2025-1