“Cyber Refugees” in US Flock to Xiaohongshu as TikTok Ban Looms

摘要：As the effective date of the "Sell or Ban" bill for TikTok approaches, the legal battle around this issue reaches a crucial moment

As the effective date of the "Sell or Ban" bill for TikTok approaches, the legal battle around this issue reaches a crucial moment. Many US TikTok users are turning to Xiaohongshu, another Chinese social app. By noon on Tuesday, Xiaohongshu topped the download chart in the US App Store, followed by TikTok's Lemon8.

Bloomberg noticed a surge of new foreign users on Xiaohongshu. The hashtag "EscapeTikTok" has amassed over 25 million views. Forbes said this is a protest against the potential TikTok ban. Also, Xiaohongshu's popularity shows users value content and community over geopolitics. It has attracted $917 million in venture capital and was valued at 17 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.

#TikTok#Xiaohongshu#Chinayouth

By Li Yuanyuan, Liu Lingxi (Intern), Liang Chen and Yuan Ye / China Youth Daily

Users from China and the US are interacting enthusiastically on Xiaohongshu.(Photo source: Xiaohongshu)