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2025 TikTok refugee crisis

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2025 TikTok–REDnote migration
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew
Date14 January 2025 – present
CausePossible US TikTok ban
MotivePreventing a TikTok ban
ParticipantsTikTok users
OutcomeOngoing
– over 2.7 million TikTok users migrated to REDnote

The 2025 TikTok–REDnote migration is an event that occurred before the possible TikTok ban in the United States.[1] Over 2.7 million TikTok users[2][3] migrated to a similar Chinese app called Xiaohongshu (or REDnote) in protest on January 2025.[4][5]

The app has stricter censorship and content moderation policies than TikTok[6] and, despite the uptake in popularity, is also not immune to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.[7]

Background

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Main article: Restrictions on TikTok in the United States

In 2020, the then-President Donald Trump encouraged a nation-wide ban on TikTok. After Joe Biden took office in 2021, his administration paused the orders targeting TikTok and WeChat. Instead, Biden ordered a broader review of apps with ties to foreign powers, making a shift towards a calmer approach.[8] However, tensions between the United States and China continued to grow[9] and TikTok remained under investigation from both lawmakers and federal agencies.[10] Concerns over data privacy, misinformation and its impact on the American youth became major issues, with both Democratic and Republican politicians in support of a ban.[11] In 2025, returning President-elect Trump stated that he wanted to "save the app".[12]

In 2023 and 2024, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in front of the US Senate Judiciary Committee[13] and the House of Representatives.[14][15] Despite his efforts to ease tensions, both houses passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act in April 2024, setting a deadline for TikTok to either be sold to a US-based company before 20 January 2025 or be banned.[16] On 15 January 2025, TikTok announced a national shutdown in the United States.[17][16]

Migration

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On 14 January, a large number of TikTok users started downloading a similar Chinese app called Xiaohongshu (or REDnote),[18][19][20] in protest of the ban.[21] The hashtag "#tiktokrefugee" and term "TikTok refugee" became viral on REDnote,[22][23] being used by both Americans and Chinese who shared positive exchanges such as a "cat tax" involving commenting pictures of their cats to be welcomed.[24][25][26] In a short span of time, the numbers rose up to over 2.7 million,[27] with REDnote increasing recruitment of English-speaking moderators to review content.[28]

However, the new users noticed that REDnote has stricter censorship and content moderation policies than TikTok[6] and users can be banned for discussing topics critical of the Chinese government including the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and the persecution of Uyghurs.[29][30]

References

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  1. ^ "TikTok may face a U.S. shutdown by January 19 unless Supreme Court intervenes". KTTN-FM 92.3 and KGOZ -FM 101.7. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  2. ^ Dedezade, Esat. "RedNote Gets 3 Million 'TikTok Refugees' In A Day. Could It Be Banned, Too?". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  3. ^ Reporter, Mandy Taheri Weekend (2025-01-17). "Chinese state media cheers "TikTok refugees" flocking to RedNote". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  4. ^ "Leave It to TikTokers to Turn Protesting Into a Meme". Bloomberg.com. 2025-01-13. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  5. ^ Hale, Erin. "TikTok users in US flock to 'China's Instagram' ahead of ban". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  6. ^ a b Valle, Gaby Del (2025-01-16). "As Americans flock to RedNote, privacy advocates warn about surveillance". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  7. ^ Lyons, Emmet (2025-01-16). "As "TikTok refugees" flock to RedNote, a U.S. official says the Chinese app could be banned, too". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  8. ^ "Biden Administration Rescinds Trump's TikTok and WeChat Bans, Issues Two Executive Orders Highlighting Policies on Chinese Tech Companies | Davis Wright Tremaine". www.dwt.com. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  9. ^ "Rising China-US tensions fuel global economic slowdown". ODI: Think change. 2024-12-18. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  10. ^ Delouya, Samantha; Fung, Brian (2024-03-26). "FTC investigating TikTok over privacy and security | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  11. ^ "House Republicans move ahead with TikTok vote even as Trump voices opposition to possible ban". AP News. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  12. ^ "Trump claims he'll 'save' TikTok - despite trying to get it banned while in office". The Independent. 2025-01-10. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  13. ^ "Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation". AP News. 2024-01-31. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  14. ^ Hendrix, Justin (2023-03-24). "Transcript: TikTok CEO Testifies to Congress". Tech Policy Press. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  15. ^ "TikTok congressional hearing: CEO Shou Zi Chew grilled by US lawmakers". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2024-12-22. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  16. ^ a b Shepardson, David; Scarcella, Mike (6 December 2024). "US appeals court upholds TikTok law forcing its sale". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  17. ^ Robuck, Mike (2025-01-15). "TikTok prepares shut down if ban goes through". Mobile World Live. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  18. ^ "US TikTok users flock to Chinese app Xiaohongshu in protest with TikTok ban looming". opb. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  19. ^ Shepherd, Christian; Chiang, Vic; Northrop, Katrina (14 January 2025). "'TikTok refugees' flock to another (heavily censored) Chinese app". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  20. ^ LOW, Tommy WANG and Zoe. "'Take My Data': US 'TikTok Refugees' Flock To Alternative Chinese App". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  21. ^ "Days Away From U.S. TikTok Ban, 'Refugees' Flood to Rival Chinese App - Caixin Global". www.caixinglobal.com. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  22. ^ Tayir, Hassan; Cheung, Eric (2025-01-14). "The great social media migration: Sudden influx of US users to RedNote connects Chinese and Americans like never before | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  23. ^ Jing, Shuang (2025-01-14). "Xiaohongshu: the new home for "TikTok refugees" · TechNode". TechNode. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  24. ^ hanjianwei (2025-01-15). "TikTok refugees Flock to Xiaohongshu to 'Pay the Cat Tax'". PopAi. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  25. ^ Baptista, Eduardo; Hu, Krystal; Oladipo, Doyinsola (15 January 2025). "Over half a million 'TikTok refugees' flock to China's RedNote". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Chinese RedNote Users Welcome American 'TikTok Refugees', Seek 'Cat Tax', Exchange Homeworks". News18. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  27. ^ thông, Báo Giao (2025-01-17). "RedNote attracts nearly 3 million "TikTok refugees" in one day - Vietnam.vn". Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  28. ^ "小红书走向国际化，小红书连夜招聘英文内容审核员" [Xiaohongshu goes international, recruiting English content reviewers overnight]. finance.sina.cn (in zh_CN). 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  29. ^ Goh, Brenda (15 January 2025). "China gives a wary welcome to influx of 'TikTok refugees' on RedNote". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  30. ^ "RedNote Blocks Posts on Tiananmen Square, Uyghurs as Migrating TikTok Users Spot Chinese Censorship". Yahoo News. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
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