At least as of this writing, we’re still awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court on TikTok’s future, but the app’s users aren’t waiting around to find out what happens.
Over the last few days, TikTok alternatives like Clapper, Flip, and TikTok’s own Lemon8 have risen to the top of the app store charts. The most popular of them all, Xiaohongshu, has made the biggest impression on its over 700,000 new users.
The exodus—which was prompted by the ban attempt and carried out through sheer spite—proves how pointless the effort to protect Americans from a “dangerous” app, which has taken more than five years, has truly been. In fact, the effort has seemingly made things worse for those in power.
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Over and over again, the US government has said that its main goal in banning TikTok has always been to shield American users from Chinese propaganda and protect their data.
I think it’s fair to say that, unsurprisingly, the government messed up. Big time.
In just a few short days, Xiaohongshu—meaning “Little Red Book” in English—has flipped US-China relations on its head. The app was founded in 2013 and acts as something like a Chinese version of Instagram. Not only are Americans consuming videos and images on an app that actively censors content related to Tiananmen Square and shows nothing when searching for “Xi Jinping,” but they’re vengefully agreeing for the app to track their data. Just all around, the opposite outcome from what the US intelligence community desired.
Many Americans are also giving advice on how to better integrate with Xiaohongshu’s predominantly Chinese user base. One TikTok user posted a video this week asking new American users to “stop saying democracy” on the app. “If you’re Taiwanese,” she said, “and you’re on Xiaohongshu, you are now Chinese. Sorry.” I couldn’t find a single piece of criticism in her comment section. In fact, many users were thanking her for the tips.
If anything, the attempt to ban TikTok has inspired more interest in China among Americans than anything else. There’s been a huge influx of TikTok users learning Mandarin by chatting with Chinese Xiaohongshu users or downloading language learning apps like Duolingo.
“Started learning in Duolingo and from creators on Red Note [or Xiaohongshu],” one TikTok user wrote to me. “Even added the Chinese keyboard option on my phone.”
“Downloaded Red Note and had my first Duolingo Chinese lesson this morning 😂,” said another.
“oh so NOW you’re learning mandarin,” the X account for Duolingo posted on Tuesday responding to the growth in interest.
There’s been a 216 percent increase in new Duolingo users signing up to learn Chinese, Duolingo spokesperson Monica Earle tells WIRED. When someone signs up for a Duolingo account, they’re asked to fill in a survey explaining how they found the app, and the company has observed “a corresponding spike” in users selecting “TikTok” as the reason they’ve joined Duolingo.
