TikTok’s fate in the US hangs by a single thread as the danger of a potential ban looms over the short video platform. However, it looks like the users in the US are quite unbothered about what’s going to happen with TikTok. They have already found an alternative. As per reports, US users have flocked to the Xiaohongshu app, also known as Rednote in English. The app, which promises similar features to TikTok, has become the top-ranked app in the Apple Store and got the 34th spot on Google Play Store.
What is Rednote?
The Rednote app, also known as Xiaohongshu, is the Mandarin word for “the little red book.” The app allows users to share videos, photos, and text posts. It is very similar to Instagram but also incorporates elements of TikTok and Pinterest, which is why many young users in the U.S. are impressed by it.
Rednote was launched in China in 2013. Notably, Rednote has registered 300 million monthly active users.
A TechCrunch report has revealed that several creators on TikTok are encouraging users to migrate to Xiaohongshu or Rednote. The report also mentions that the Rednote app is currently valued at $17 billion.
Will TikTok shut down in the US on January 19?
A law signed by former US President Joe Biden gives TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance an ultimatum until January 19, 2025, to sell its US business or face a ban. TikTok has said that the app will shut down on January 19 if the Supreme Court does not intervene.
“The platform shuts down unless there’s a divestiture, unless President Trump exercises his authority to extend it,” Noel Francisco, TikTok’s lawyer, was quoted as saying by TechCrunch. “But, he can’t do that on January 19. On January 19, we still have President Biden. And on January 19, as I understand it, we shut down. It is possible that come January 20, 21, 22 we might be in a different world. Again, that’s one of the reasons why I think it makes perfect sense to issue a preliminary injunction here, and simply buy everybody a little breathing space.”
Meanwhile, Bytedance is also looking for buyers in the US. The reports suggest that Bytedance might consider selling the US arm of TikTok to Elon Musk, who already owns X aka Twitter.
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