With just days remaining, TikTok is on the brink of a U.S. ban. If the Supreme Court rejects any final efforts to keep it alive, on Jan. 19, the app will be blocked. Lawmakers are already guiding tech firms on how to remove it from app stores, preparing for its possible disappearance.
TikTok’s security risks: Propaganda, misinformation and tracking
U.S. security officials have raised alarms about TikTok since 2023, citing its links to the Chinese government and potential data protection risks. They warn the platform could spy on American users, collect sensitive data and pose significant national security concerns. During hearings in March, lawmakers highlighted how TikTok might leverage user data to spread propaganda, disseminate misinformation and, in extreme cases, monitor microphones or track activity on external apps.
Since then, the reality has become clear: TikTok must be sold or it will disappear from American smartphones. While users are already exploring ways to bypass the ban, such a move would also prevent TikTok from receiving updates, ultimately making the app unusable, even for those who manage to continue accessing it.
The U.S. is not the first to spotlight these risks—TikTok is already banned in India, with similar restrictions imposed in Iran, Afghanistan and Somalia. In the U.K. and Australia, TikTok is banned on government staff phones, a measure also taken by the European Commission. Even prominent news organizations have taken steps to safeguard their data. The BBC and Denmark’s public broadcaster, for instance, have advised their staff to delete the app from corporate devices.
ByteDance calls TikTok ban unconstitutional and a threat to free speech
ByteDance has repeatedly stated that TikTok is not for sale, firmly denying claims that the Chinese government has any control over American user feeds or data. However, these denials, along with allegations that a ban could breach the First Amendment, have largely fallen on deaf ears. A potential new buyer now appears to be the app’s only viable option.
As discussions about TikTok’s potential departure continue, creators and users are exploring where they might find their next scrolling destination. Popular alternatives like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, which have amassed views over the past year, remain strong contenders. Meanwhile, a newcomer is also rapidly gaining traction.
What is RedNote and why are U.S TikTok users flocking to it?
The Chinese social media app “RedNote” climbed to the top of U.S app store social networking rankings on Monday. Known locally as Xiaohongshu, which loosely translates to “Little Red Book,” RedNote resembles a Chinese version of Instagram and Reels, integrating the short-form video content that users have come to love. Chinese users have also developed interest in the app, leading to a reported 218 million active monthly users in China in September 2024.
Like TikTok, RedNote offers a variety of features, becoming a key platform for travel advice, online dating and e-commerce. Although it currently operates mainly in Mandarin, making it primarily accessible to Chinese speakers, executives are reportedly working quickly to adapt the platform for Western markets.
Over half a million “TikTok refugees” have migrated to the app in a matter of days, though this figure pales in comparison to TikTok’s recent stats: “over 150 million monthly active users in the United States alone.”
Americans are intrigued by RedNote, as it is virtually the same as the version used in China. This parity offers a rare chance to examine how social networking reflects the cultural norms that both link and distinguish the U.S. and China. While the surge in RedNote’s popularity is clearly exciting digital users, some are suggesting that its rise may be short-lived, and its fate could soon mirror that of TikTok’s demise.
RedNote’s security measures raise major questions
RedNote’s user data and privacy policy is largely inaccessible to American users, as it is primarily written in Mandarin, with fine print that leaves many questions unanswered. From the available information, it seems that downloading the app grants RedNote permission to store a user’s identity, facial recognition data and photo albums if they use certain features. Additionally, RedNote reserves the right to use data to “carry out news reporting and public interest supervision.”
For services requiring authentication, the app can also access your ID number and location. What’s more worrying is that RedNote’s security issues are almost a mirror image of the concerns that TikTok posed when it was thrust into the public eye.
“Xiaohongshu particularly is targeted towards a domestic Chinese audience and American users are already running into unexpected censorship,” Emmie Hine of Yale University told NewScientist.
In compliance with China’s stringent laws, the app’s parent company, Xingyin Information Technology, enforces the country’s censorship policies that silence any content deviating from the party line. This includes removing posts about sensitive social issues, any mentions of the Tiananmen Square protests among other historic events and any derogatory comments about the Chinese government. Such an iron grip on free speech makes even the most heavily regulated social media platforms in the U.S. appear remarkably free by comparison.
While users may find temporary relief or curiosity in exploring how social networking works in China, the popularity of apps like RedNote is likely to be short-lived unless executives fully commit to targeting the U.S. market. Since TikTok’s rise, American tech giants like Snapchat, Meta and YouTube have rolled out viable alternatives. These platforms seem to pose fewer data and security risks and are unlikely to face sudden legal challenges. Content creators and marketers, who rely on stability and long-term trust, have plenty of options to choose from—none of which are going anywhere anytime soon.
Photo by Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock
