OTTAWA - In response to an imminent ban on TikTok in the United States, Canadian users are increasingly turning to Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in North America, propelling it to the top of download charts in Canada.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal law mandating that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, divest its American operations by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. This ruling is primarily driven by national security concerns related to TikTok's links to China.
As users migrate to RedNote, a platform designed for sharing short videos and lifestyle content, it has emerged as the most downloaded app in the Canadian app store. RedNote, which boasts approximately 300 million monthly users, offers features similar to TikTok and Instagram.
Experts caution that while TikTok had some data protection assurances, RedNote lacks similar safeguards. Stephanie Carvin, an associate professor at Carleton University, noted that users are expressing a lack of trust in both Western and Chinese social media companies.
Despite the security concerns, many users are embracing RedNote, with reports indicating that former TikTok users are actively engaging on the platform. The Canadian government has ordered the closure of TikTok's Canadian operations, although the app remains accessible.
As the situation develops, the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, with discussions around potential buyers, including Canadian entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary and billionaire Elon Musk.