What to know about RedNote, the app that Americans are downloading in case of TikTok ban

 

As a TikTok shutdown looms in less than a week, another Chinese app named Xiaohongshu, or RedNote in English, has gained sudden popularity in the United States as people continue to look for alternatives.

If ByteDance does not sell TikTok by Jan. 19, the app will be illegal for distribution through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Internet service providers will also be required to make the app inaccessible to U.S. internet browsers.

But TikTok is not going down without a fight. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the possible shutdown, but according to experts, the court will most likely decide to allow the ban to come into effect based on national security.

Among all free iPhone apps, RedNote currently sits as the top social networking app on the Apple app store rankings. Here is what you need to know about RedNote.

So what’s the deal with TikTok?

TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance are attempting to block a law signed by President Joe Biden that will ban the short-form video app beginning Jan. 19, unless it sells its U.S. operation due to national security concerns. The social media giant has requested the Supreme Court to pause the ban during the legal process, and while the justices heard arguments last week, a decision has yet to be announced.