As the ban on TikTok in the US becomes almost inevitable, many users are now flocking to REDNote, another Chinese video-sharing app that resembles ByteDance's TikTok. It is filled with short-form content in a vertical format. Since the announcement of the TikTok ban in the United States, REDNote has experienced a massive increase in downloads and sign-ups, particularly from the USA. Also known as Xiaohongshu in China, the RED social media app is developed by Xingyin Information Technology, a Shanghai-based company. It is available free of charge on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store worldwide. According to a report by TechCrunch, REDNote has already become the number one app on the App Store, driven by the surge in downloads in the USA. However, despite being listed on these major app markets, most of the UI elements in REDNote are still in Mandarin, and much of the content on the platform is created by Chinese users, with only a few exceptions. Amid fears of losing their content on TikTok, which is likely to be banned due to national security concerns, users are turning to another Chinese app. If REDNote gains popularity similar to TikTok, it may also face similar scrutiny and potential bans. To sign up on REDNote, users can use their phone number, Facebook account, or Google account, including Indian phone numbers. However, when we attempted to sign up, although we received the OTP, we were unable to authenticate it. Once signed up, users must select different genres to receive themed videos on their timelines. Like TikTok or other short video platforms, users can like, comment, share, and download videos for offline viewing.
