Rather than dwell on the pain of potentially losing their favorite short video app, many TikTok users are flocking to RedNote, a Chinese social media platform also known as Little Red Book. I decided to spend some time on the platform myself, and it seemed like so-called “TikTok refugees” were excited to interact with a community of mostly Chinese-speaking users, and vice versa.

Launched in 2013 as a shopping platform, RedNote has grown to become one of China's most popular social apps featuring photos, videos and written content. Now, the number of users from other parts of the world has surged again, with more than 700,000 users joining RedNote in just two days, according to a report from RedNote Reuters. That number is still small, accounting for just a fraction of the 150 million Americans TikTok reported already using the app in early 2023.

The name Xiaohongshu means "little red book" and "can be seen as a tongue-in-cheek reference to a red-covered book of quotes from Communist China's founding father Mao Zedong," according to CNN. Despite the U.S. government's plans to ban TikTok, many American users appear to still be using the Chinese platform, but in a very non-serious manner.

Amid all the Chinese posts describing fashion fit checks, mouth-watering food videos and memes I don’t quite understand, there’s content from TikTok expats. Many people joked about their sudden appearance on the app, with one user wondering what Chinese users would think after seeing the influx of American users, and another showing off their outfits from gun-toting, Buc-ee's merch-wearing Americans are gradually transforming into Chinese - say RedNote users. Others simply said hello to their new community—some of whom wrote subtitles in what I assume was machine-translated Chinese.

What’s even more interesting is that all RedNote users welcome TikTokers with open arms. Some RedNote users were eager to introduce the app while also sharing some tips and tricks on how to navigate the app. One creator said that with the Lunar New Year approaching, “now is the perfect time to dive deeper into Chinese culture with RedNote,” adding that users on the platform are “obsessed with Luigi, Trump, and squid game”. Some even offered to teach new community members Chinese.

But many TikTok users are also curious about RedNote users in China. "Chinese friends, post a photo of your meal or snack today! I'm curious about what you usually eat," one user wrote. Another asked: "I'm American. Do you all like us? We know none of you are enemies. Can we all be friends?"

This trend is actually beneficial and I'm here for it, but I don't believe it will actually last. If these apps grow in popularity, they may also face bans. But the move to RedNote may just be a trend that will only continue until it is replaced by another kind of note.