Chinese-owned RedNote follows CCP censorship, could be next banned app
As TikTok faces a looming ban in the United States, its users are on a frantic search for alternatives. With U.S. officials raising alarms over data security concerns and ByteDance’s connection to China, American TikTok users are on alert. However, as they flock to other Chinese-owned apps, they inadvertently expose themselves to Chinese government censorship practices and potential data privacy vulnerabilities.
One app currently in the spotlight is Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote. It has rapidly gained millions of American users, becoming a preferred refuge for TikTok aficionados. However, this surge in popularity comes with its own set of controversies. Users have reported the app’s censorship activities, which are consistent with guidelines set forth by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
RedNote notably restricts discussions around politically sensitive subjects, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and the ongoing Uyghur crisis, wherein claims suggest 800,000 to 3 million Uyghur Muslims are held in internment camps. Topics that do not align with CCP-endorsed narratives are often flagged or removed. This practice extends to include other content, such as references to LGBTQ+ communities or specific elements of Japanese anime culture, as revealed in user interviews by major news outlets like CNN.
Content removals are justified by the app under the guise of community guidelines that emphasize allegiance to principles such as the Chinese Constitution, socialism, Chinese patriotism, and what they term as “the correct view of history.” Despite these rigorous controls, RedNote has achieved the status of the top-downloaded app in the U.S. App Store as of Tuesday, Jan. 14, putting it under the scrutiny of U.S. regulators.
This surge has sparked apprehension among U.S. officials. According to reports by CBS News, there are speculations about RedNote potentially being the next app to face a ban, akin to the legislative action against TikTok’s U.S. operations. Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert from Nord VPN, noted in an interview with CBS, “RedNote was never meant for outside the China market. All of the data sharing and all the servers to which the data is being shared are in China. It means they are exempt from all of these data protections and outside of the view of the American government.”
The popularity of RedNote hints at a broader trend among American users gravitating towards Chinese-based digital platforms. Lemon8, another app under ByteDance’s banner, is also attracting attention, with TikTok itself pointing to Lemon8 as a potential alternative in the event of a ban due by Sunday, Jan. 19.
The legislation governing the potential ban of TikTok was enacted by President Joe Biden in 2024. It grants Congress extensive authority to compel a divestiture of a platform if its parent company operates under a regime considered a “foreign adversary-controlled country” and if the app commands a user base exceeding 1 million monthly U.S. users. RedNote comfortably fits within these criteria.
With the future regulatory landscape still uncertain, whether platforms like RedNote will remain accessible to American users is subject to speculation. The prevailing question is whether legal requirements will eventually mandate these companies to break away from Chinese ownership to continue operating in the U.S. market.
In the interim, American users must navigate the complexities of digital privacy and censorship, remaining vigilant as they explore new social media landscapes while policymakers work through the implications of cyberspace governance in the age of rising geopolitical tensions.
