NAIROBI, Kenya- As the clock ticks down on a potential TikTok ban in the US, thousands of users are flocking to a new Chinese social media platform, RedNote, sparking what some are calling a digital exodus.
With a ban set to take effect as soon as January 19, US TikTokers, many of them young and digitally savvy, are seeking new homes for their content.
This migration has catapulted RedNote, a TikTok competitor, to the top of the Apple US App Store, with users dubbed “TikTok refugees” leading the charge.
RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), is a social media platform that blends the style of TikTok and Instagram, allowing users to exchange lifestyle tips—from dating advice to the latest fashion trends.
With about 300 million monthly users, primarily in China and Taiwan, RedNote has become an increasingly popular choice for those looking for alternatives to TikTok.
🚨🚨 If you go on TikTok, right now every other video is urging people to jump onto Rednote (xiaohongshu, or RED BOOK), and it is working! They have jumped to #1 on the app store. TikTok users are calling themselves, “refugees” as they jump to this new app. Insanity!
RedNote’s welcoming atmosphere for new users has generated excitement. The app now boasts over 63,000 posts under the hashtag “TikTok refugee”, where newcomers share tips, tricks, and even Chinese phrases to help ease the transition.
Some users are already seeing viral success, with Tennessee tech worker Sydney Crawley gaining more than 6,000 followers within 24 hours of joining.
The threat of a TikTok ban looms large, with a January 19 deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations or face the prospect of being shut down.
This decision is tied to national security concerns, as the app’s data collection and links to the Chinese government have raised alarm.
The top two free apps on the US Apple App Store today are both TikTok alternatives 1. Xiaohongshu, ‘RedNote’ 2. Lemon8 (owned by Bytedance) TikTok refugees are making their moves
TikTok has refused to sell its operations, and its lawyers argue that a ban would violate free speech protections for the 170 million US users.
Meanwhile, the alternative platform, RedNote, has been a surprising beneficiary of this uncertainty.
For Kenyan creators, the growing shift toward RedNote presents an exciting opportunity to build your brand and audience in a space that’s still relatively new and evolving.
As RedNote gains traction, early adopters from Kenya could stand out in a unique way by sharing local culture, lifestyle, and creativity.
The app’s combination of TikTok-style short-form videos and Instagram-like content allows for diverse expression, making it an ideal platform for creators in Kenya to showcase their talent to both local and international audiences.
Being an early user could help Kenyan creators build loyal communities while capitalizing on a fresh, open market.
