Manimatana Lee spent the previous 5 years constructing one of many hottest commodities on the web: a gaggle of people that reliably watch her movies on TikTok.
She constructed an viewers of almost 10,000 followers with movies of herself vacuuming her home in Wisconsin whereas her youngest daughter napped in a provider on her again. A video of Ms. Lee dancing and doing the dishes — whereas sporting her sleeping child — has been watched multiple million occasions since November.
Now, with the Supreme Courtroom quickly to rule in a case that would decide whether or not TikTok might be banned in the USA over nationwide safety issues, Ms. Lee and different Individuals searching for alternate options are downloading Xiaohongshu, a social media app that’s well-liked in China and little recognized exterior the nation.
“How humorous would it not be in the event that they ban TikTok and all of us simply transfer over to this Chinese language app,” Ms. Lee wrote on Monday on TikTok encouraging her followers to affix her.
Xiaohongshu was essentially the most downloaded free app within the U.S. Apple retailer on Tuesday. Over 300 million folks, largely in China, use the app, the place they share quick movies in addition to nonetheless, text-based posts. Individuals flocking to it stated, in interviews and on the app, that they wished to point out they don’t share Washington’s issues about TikTok’s ties to China.
TikTok, which is on the market in additional than 150 international locations however not China, is owned by the Chinese language web firm ByteDance. American creators who submit movies on TikTok say the app has been a supply of connection, leisure and knowledge because it turned a sensation in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. Its secret sauce is its proprietary algorithm, know-how that recommends a relentless stream of quick movies focused to maintain folks scrolling.
However lawmakers in the USA and different international locations have warned that the Chinese language authorities might use TikTok to entry knowledge about its customers similar to location and shopping histories. Officers in Washington say they’re additionally involved that China might use TikTok to unfold false info among the many 170 million individuals who use it in the USA.
Xiaohongshu means “little pink guide” in Mandarin. Individuals new to the app stated they weren’t postpone by the reference to a guide of Mao Zedong’s sayings. Many name the app “Purple Notice.”
“I don’t actually care if I’m utilizing a Chinese language app in any respect,” stated Ms. Lee. “It’s like a spot for me to flee actuality. And if it’s making me really feel good, I’m right here for it.”
A bunch of American creators have sued the federal government over the regulation that would see the TikTok app forcibly offered or banned in the USA, and TikTok is paying their authorized charges. Ms. Lee and one other creator stated in interviews that their curiosity in Xiaohongshu had not been incentivized by both firm. TikTok didn’t reply to a request for remark.
The Individuals on Xiaohongshu have rallied below the hashtag “TikTokrefugee,” which had been considered 100 million occasions and sparked round 2.5 million dialogue threads on the app by Tuesday.
Becoming a member of the app has put American customers in nearer contact with folks on-line in China than they’ve ever been on TikTok. In China, folks use Douyin, a really related app that ByteDance used to develop the know-how that made TikTok a worldwide hit. Douyin is tough to entry exterior China.
Many shared recommendations on the right way to navigate the app, which is especially made for and utilized by individuals who learn and converse Mandarin. Some took screenshots and requested ChatGPT to translate posts, they stated.
Xiaohongshu shows town or province of Chinese language customers who submit and remark, and the nation for customers exterior China. “We’re coming to the Chinese language spies and begging them to allow us to keep right here,” stated one American consumer. “Authorised, welcome to Purple Notice,” somebody in Shanghai replied.
Till late December, 85 p.c of Xiaohongshu visitors was from China, in line with Similarweb, a knowledge supplier and web site visitors tracker. The app is very well-liked amongst girls of their 20s and 30s, and its lengthy remark threads have turn out to be a preferred supply of knowledge for folks to swap questions on on a regular basis issues, just like Reddit.
Xiaohongshu didn’t reply to requests for remark.
On Tuesday, greater than 100,000 folks had joined a stay group chat hosted by a consumer named “TikTok Refugee Membership,” the place folks from around the globe chatted with Chinese language customers about city security. In one other group chat, which had been considered greater than 30,000 occasions, individuals mentioned censorship and shared ideas within the feedback on the right way to keep away from being banned from the platform for mentioning politically delicate matters.
Below one other video posted by somebody who stated they had been often on TikTok, a consumer in China responded with a meme of a cat with paws outstretched. “I’m your Chinese language spy,” the remark stated, “give me all of your knowledge.”
