With TikTok facing a potential ban in the US on January 19 unless sold, a new app called REDnote is gaining traction as a popular alternative. Also known as Xiaohongshu, this app is quickly growing in the US and expanding its presence in the Philippines.
I know most Filipinos are probably unfamiliar with REDnote, so I decided to dig into what the app is all about—and even gave it a try myself.
Charlwin Mao and Miranda Qu launched Xiaohongshu, or “REDnote” in English, in Shanghai in 2013. It launched three years after Instagram and a year after Facebook acquired it, steadily carving out its own niche in social media.
The app focuses on lifestyle, blending elements of Instagram and Pinterest with a touch of TikTok’s discovery features. Users can explore various topics on REDnote, with a feed resembling Instagram’s visual or TikTok’s explore page. Unlike platforms like Weibo or Douyin, it focuses on apolitical content. Beyond China, REDnote is growing in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan, boasting 300 million monthly active users by late 2023.
Curious about REDnote, I decided to create an account and see what kind of content it offers. The “Select Your Interests” page immediately reminded me of Pinterest, where you choose topics that catch your eye, and the app curates content based on those interests for your feed.
Once I completed the sign-up, I was greeted by an Explore feed that felt a lot like TikTok’s. The main difference is that most of the content is in Chinese, though there are some in English as well. Compared to TikTok, REDnote’s content curation is more organized, with different tabs to explore. I checked out the Digital Technology and Music tabs, and the content was just as expected—nothing inappropriate or questionable so far.
While REDnote mainly focuses on China, the Nearby tab shows some local content, mostly by Chinese users. I haven’t come across any Filipino creators yet. Posting required my phone number, and I had to input the Philippines’ country code (+63). With most of the content in Chinese and no auto-translation tool, REDnote isn’t very accessible for Filipinos right now. I’m unsure how some Americans are posting, and experts warn REDnote could pose greater security risks than TikTok.
Can REDnote be a TikTok alternative? Not in its current state. The app caters to a Chinese audience rather than a global one. It remains to be seen if REDnote will change or if TikTok can avoid the January 19 ban.
