What’s coming up In TikTok in the US has caused many of the “refugees” to migrate to other social networks – and the Chinese program “Little Red Book” by Chairman Mao seems to be the most popular.

Shanghai-based Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in the US, climbed to the top of the free app store this week as social media users fled TikTok in anticipation of its shutdown on Sunday, Jan. 20.

In just two days, more than 700,000 new users joined Xiaohongshu, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Downloads of RedNote in the US are up more than 200% year-over-year this week, and 194% since last week, according to estimates by software research firm Sensor Tower, the report said.

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But with this popularity comes a strong warning from one of China’s top officials in Congress, who fears that the app’s ties to China could harm US users.

“Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book helped change China’s communist culture which led to the death of millions of people in China. Today, the Chinese program of the same name wants to be the next TikTok – full of Chinese rule,” Home. CCP Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., told Fox Business.

What is RedNote?

The app store’s description calls Xiahongshu “a way of life that encourages people to discover and connect with different forms of life.” The app claims to have more than 300 million daily users and seems to be working as well as Instagram or Pinterestusers can send text, photos or videos nearby.

Xiahongshu, which was established as a business hub in 2013, is now known as China’s go-to search engine for popular topics ranging from beauty, fashion, travel and food, according to Reuters.

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Two Chinese-made apps, Xiaohongshu and Lemon8, have taken the top two positions on Apple’s iPhone download charts in the US as users seek alternatives to TikTok before the ban. (Raul Ariano/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Users can participate in conversations, share each other’s posts, call each other and make purchases. The platform has recently made a big push for ongoing sales.

There is no international program, which is in Mandarin. It is owned and operated by Xingyin Information Technology, a Chinese company. Although users have the option to change the language of the app, most of the content is in Mandarin.

Xiahongshu was founded by Miranda Qu, its current president, and Charlwin Mao, its CEO, in 2013 in Shanghai. Originally called the “Hong Kong Shopping Guide,” it was created for Chinese tourists looking for ideas abroad, according to Reuters.

Security Concerns

TikTok on Friday said its platform would “go dark” on Sunday after the United States Supreme Court upheld an order passed last year that required Chinese parent company ByteDance to remove the app, citing its ties to CCP.

Lawmakers have increased national security China’s problems they may use the app to download user data or push other government-sponsored content to US users.

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., leaves the Capitol Hill Club after the House Republican Conference on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Moolenaar raised the same concerns about RedNote and said the law being used to force ByteDance to leave TikTok could also be used against platform owners.

“Parents and social media creators should be aware that the CCP uses PRC-based services to monitor and monitor Americans. The good news is that President Trump has the authority under the TikTok Act to force the removal of certain CCP-controlled content that poses a threat to the security of the world as well,” he said.

Xiahongshu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The TikTok creators who jumped on the Xiahongshu bandwagon have warned some US users to be wary of the platform’s content control policies and China’s censorship.

“This is for my expat and American TikTok friends, stay with this app! You have to behave because everyone in China is doing us a favor when we launch their cutesy tootsy app because our government sucks,” American user “Savannah” said. was published Wednesday, CBS News reported.

If TikTok’s complaint is that it collects user information, Xiahongshu has the same problem and it’s even bigger.

TikTok and RedNote apps are seen in this illustration January 15, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

RedNote’s privacy policy says the platform they collect a lot of data including personally identifiable information such as where users use their IP address, browser preferences and more, Forbes said.

Words and values ​​are written in Mandarin and English users have had difficulty interpreting them.

In addition, Xiahongshu is subject to Chinese laws similar to TikTok, which could give CCP officials access to user information but without the privacy protections of US law.

“The platform collects personal information, including location, search activity, and device information such as IP addresses. It can also share this data with third-party service providers or government authorities, raising concerns about the privacy of users,” Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity. NordVPN expert, told Forbes.

However, some TikTok users rejected this. Kayla Murphy, a live content creator, who has 20,000 followers on TikTok, told CT Insider they are not worried about collecting Chinese data.

“Personally, I’m not complaining. I live an honest and open life, and I don’t feel like I have anything to hide. If the Chinese or US governments want to know that I’m a 28-year-old woman who loves walking, food, and my cat, Wednesday, so be it,” said Murphy. “My biggest concerns are the health and financial crisis.”

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Murphy said he uses Google Translate to add Mandarin subtitles to his videos on RedNote so Chinese users can follow along.

“One of my favorite posts, the one with my cat, Wednesday, included simple English and Chinese words,” Mr Murphy told the outlet. “Since a lot of what I have focuses on visual issues – like travel and life – I think it will naturally cross language barriers.”

Murphy said he wouldn’t be surprised if RedNote “will be the next target in the US government’s war on social media platforms.”

“It sounds like a game of whack-a-mole,” he said, “but young people always find a way to change.”

Fox Business Network’s Chase Williams and Reuters contributed to this story.