Alex Omenye
Chinese social media platform RedNote, known locally as Xiaohongshu, experienced a dramatic surge in U.S. users earlier this week, gaining nearly 3 million daily active users in just one day, according to analytics firm Similarweb.
The app’s U.S. user base climbed from fewer than 700,000 on Sunday to approximately 3.4 million on Monday, a staggering increase from around 300,000 the previous week.
This influx, driven by fears of an impending TikTok ban in the U.S., underscores the growing movement of so-called “TikTok Refugees” seeking alternative platforms. TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, faces restrictions over national security concerns, leading to a notable decline in its U.S. user activity, which dropped 2.1% last week to 82.2 million daily active users.
The surge propelled RedNote to the top of U.S. app store download charts, far surpassing its sister app Lemon8. Lemon8, also owned by ByteDance, saw a modest rise to 1.7 million daily active U.S. users from 1.1 million in previous weeks after ByteDance linked the login systems of the two apps last November.
While many Chinese users on RedNote welcomed the American newcomers with discussions on topics such as Chinese cuisine, tourist attractions, and cultural policies, the platform also revealed tensions. Some U.S. users tested the limits of Beijing’s strict censorship protocols, highlighting the clash between Chinese internet controls and freer online expressions.
China’s “Great Firewall” has long restricted access to foreign social networks like Instagram and X, making RedNote a unique bridge between Chinese and U.S. audiences. However, as the Jan. 19 deadline for the TikTok ban approaches, resignation among U.S.-based TikTok creators and influencers appears to be growing. Many had held out hope for a last-minute resolution but are now pivoting to platforms like RedNote to maintain their presence and audience.
