The U.S government is asking American citizens not to give their personal data to a Chinese company, but citizens are replying to the government's plea with a middle finger.

As the country is waiting for the TikTok ban to go into effect on Jan 19, Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu (colloquially known as Red Note) has become the most downloaded app overnight.

During this time, many who are now calling themselves "TikTok refugees" have posted on their TikTok account explaining how they have migrated to the Chinese social media app out of pure spite.

Many explained that they chose Xiaohongshu over Instagram or Youtube was because they heard how Xiaohongshu was similar to TikTok, but it was also a act of rebellion against the American government who have taken TikTok away from Americans over alleged national security threats.

What is Xiaohongshu?

Xiaohongshu, also commonly known as "Rednote", is a instagram-like social media platform that focuses on consumer products and lifestyles.

It Chinese name "小红书" also references the iconic "quotations from Chairman Mao Tsu-tung", a book widely distributed during China's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s.

Besides being able to post photos and videos on the platform, Xiaohongshu also leverages on its powerful search engine to catch the attention of users by recommending relevant food posts and international news. Xiaohongshu also uses its algorithm to make it as addictive as TikTok.

In recent years, Xiaohongshu has also become a successful e-commerce platform, with its estimated sales revenue topping US $100 billion in 2025, as reported by Reuters.

According to Reuter, as of December 2024, Xiaohongshu had over 300 million users and a reported valuation of US $17 billion.

TikTok refugees assimilating into the chinese community

Many U.S TikTok users have expressed similar anxiety of being a foreigner in a predominately Chinese community, and fears of whether their English content would be accepted by users who are predominately Chinese speaking. Most of the contents in Xiaohongshu are also in Chinese.

Many "TikTok refugees" have also used their pets for their cameo appearance, hoping that by doing it would help them to break the ice with the Chinese users.

Other U.S TikTok users have jumped straight to sharing about their lives, with some even resorting to Google translate to provide Chinese subtitles for their contents.

While many Chinese Xiaohongshu users were initially shocked by the sudden influx of U.S TikTok users, but they have generally showed their goodwill to the newcomers by extending welcome wishes to them.

Some Chinese Xiaohongshu users also exchanged photos of their furry pets with U.S TikTok users, who posted about their feline friends.

One Xiaohongshu user even seized the opportunity to ask a TikTok user to help him with his English homework.

When the TikTok users replied with her answer, other Xiaohongshu users praised her for her kind gesture.