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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Technology
Athena Stavrou

RedNote: Is TikTok’s Chinese alternative any safer than the app facing a potential US ban?

Rednote TikTok United States China James Bore ByteDance

China-based RedNote has experienced a huge surge in downloads from users in the US and worldwide as the 19 January deadline for the US TikTok ban approaches.

The app, a mix of Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, is one of the most popular in China and reached the top spot in the UK app download charts this week. Those migrating to the platform, officially called Xiaohongshu, or “Little Red Book,” have been warmly welcomed. Chinese and Western users collaborate on the app, teaching each other English or Mandarin, helping with homework, or sharing jokes about the looming TikTok ban.

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