On Jan. 19, it’s likely that the beloved social media app TikTok will be banned in the United States. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law in April 2024 that would ban TikTok unless its owner, a Chinese company called Bytedance, sold its U.S. stakes of the app. The ban is currently being decided on by the Supreme Court, and if a majority does not vote to delay or overturn the ban, TikTok will no longer be available in the US as of Jan. 19.
The potential ban came about because of the app’s Chinese ownership; some U.S. lawmakers have expressed national security concerns about foreign entities collecting data on Americans. Many U.S. TikTok users, however, are not concerned with foreign countries having their data — in fact, many of them are now flocking to a Chinese app called REDnote in preparation for the likelihood that TikTok will no longer be available.
REDnote, also known as Xiaohongshu, is a social media app that has similar vibes to TikTok, allowing users to post their own videos as well as view and comment on the content of others. The app, which has been popular in China since it was founded in 2013, saw a massive influx of new users in the U.S. in January 2025 — notably, many of them are TikTok users who have flooded the app with the hashtag #TikTokrefugee. Seasoned REDnote users have begun welcoming the “refugees” to the platform, even teaching them basic Mandarin phrases (since the app is largely not in English).
While it’s unclear if REDnote will match the massive success of TikTok (or if it will even be available in the U.S. for much longer, considering the reasoning behind the TikTok ban), many users seem willing to give the app a try. These users have basically become REDnote trailblazers for the U.S., and could lead the way for more creators to make the move to REDnote in the coming weeks.
So, here are some popular TikTokers to follow on REDnote right now.
- daniel bennett
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TikTok user @dxnielbennett posted a video discussing the unhinged REDnote comment sections on Jan. 13, showing just how similar the vibes on REDnote are to TikTok’s niche humor.
- Griffin (aka gdig728)
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User @gdig728 posted a TikTok about being on the REDnote app for several months before the TikTok “migration” occurred. Trailblazer!
- kayla christine
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TikTok user @kayla..christine has shared several videos about her experience on REDnote, including a video about learning to say “Hello, I am a TikTok refugee” in Mandarin.
- cameron jerrard
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User @cameronjerrard posted a TikTok about adjusting to REDnote’s features and algorithm. “I love the little comment section with the little memes, I love that the videos are clear as sh*t, I love the algorithm,” he shared.
- rynnstar
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User @rynnstar, who posts videos about a variety of topics from video games to current events, posted a screenshot of their REDnote profile on Jan. 13 for followers who wanted to keep up with them if the TikTok ban goes through.
- dr. andre 3001 (aka blackkout__)
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TikTok user and podcaster @blackkout__ shared a screenshot of his REDnote profile in his TikTok story, with “TikTok Refugee” in his bio.
- kaleah denise
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Beauty and lifestyle user @lyah.luxury posted on TikTok that she had joined REDnote, joking that soon she would be able to put “bilingual” on her resume.
- cassie (aka notcassiesbooktok)
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The rush to REDnote isn’t just for Americans — Booktok user @notcassiesbooktok posted a video about joining REDnote even though TikTok is not getting banned in Canada, where she lives.
- krystn walmsley
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Beauty influencer @k.walmsley posted a tutorial about setting up your REDnote profile, updating your user ID, and changing the language to English. She also shared her own REDnote profile, which she has been active on.
- jen (aka eres_rara)
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User @eres_rera posted a TikTok joking about learning Mandarin on her REDnote account after TikTok gets banned, adding in the caption how “unserious” TikTok users are.