A TikTok Clone is Skyrocketing in Popularity

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Summary

  • TikTok‘s potentially imminent US ban has led to a huge spike in popularity for Chinese social media app Rednote as a possible replacement.
  • Rednote features an amalgamation of elements from Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, and is valued at $17 billion with backing from Chinese tech companies like Alibaba and Tencent.
  • Former TikTok content creators and users are joining Rednote en masse, with it currently at the top of the US App Store charts.

A rapidly growing social media platform is experiencing a surge in popularity due to speculations that the American version of TikTok may soon cease operations in 2024, following legal issues it has faced throughout the year. In its place, there’s a new Chinese social media app called Rednote gaining attention as a potential successor.

For several months, there has been uncertainty about TikTok’s future in the United States. In March 2024, a bill aimed at banning TikTok was passed by the House of Representatives. Later in October 2024, TikTok found itself in legal trouble with both the Department of Justice and thirteen different states. The ban is due to concerns about potential national security risks linked to TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. If the Supreme Court doesn’t intervene, TikTok could be taken off app stores such as Apple and Google starting from January 19, 2025. In fact, TikTok itself has hinted that it might need to cease operations under these circumstances.

In the wake of potential disappearance of TikTok, US content creators and users are rushing to find alternatives, and it’s Rednote, a Chinese social media app, that seems to be leading the pack. Known as Xiaohongshu in China, Rednote is often described as a blend of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. Launched in 2013, it started off as a platform for product reviews and retail experiences but transformed into a hub for Chinese influencers in beauty and health. The app has a strong female user base, with more than 70% of its users being women. Valued at $17 billion as of July 2024, Rednote has received financial support from Chinese tech giants Tencent and Alibaba.

Chinese Social Media App Rednote May Be First in Line for TikTok’s Throne

Due to its layout resembling TikTok and Pinterest, Rednote has rapidly climbed up the US App Store rankings, outperforming apps such as Lemon8, ChatGPT, and Threads. By January 13th, Rednote had become the most downloaded app in the U.S., with TikTok users swarming to this new social media platform to build a presence. Already, videos about Rednote’s meteoric rise are trending on TikTok and other popular platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Interestingly, Chinese users within Rednote are welcoming their American counterparts as they notice an increase in user demographics.

As a passionate user, it’s quite intriguing to witness the potential shift in the social media landscape. If TikTok, currently under threat due to its Chinese ownership, disappears from US app stores, it seems that another Chinese app, Rednote, could be its likely successor. The coming days will reveal if Rednote can maintain its growing popularity and whether this surge of interest is a precursor to TikTok’s exit from the US market. If TikTok indeed vanishes, Rednote might experience an even greater influx of new users.

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2025-01-14 17:37