Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, is being turned to by more and more Americans due to the impending ban of TikTok in the country on Sunday.

The sudden influx of users from abroad, many of whom call themselves “TikTok refugees,” presents a new challenge for the app, which must find a balance between meeting China’s strict content moderation rules and providing a positive experience for newcomers who don’t speak Chinese.

Heather Roberts, an American artist with more than 32,000 followers on TikTok who made an account on RedNote, said she liked using the Chinese app because “everyone is so nice, so kind. We find that the Chinese are not so different from us,” he tells CNN. “This really brings us together. It’s a beautiful thing – it really is,” he notes.

However, not all users are satisfied.

After only a few days of using RedNote, some people began to express their frustration with the censorship rules, which go far beyond what they are used to. It’s not just violent content and hate speech or pornography that’s off limits. China’s internet is notorious for censoring an ever-growing list of terms deemed sensitive, either politically or otherwise.

And while Chinese authorities set the censorship rules, enforcing them is generally left to the platforms, which often employ large teams of moderators to remove content that violates the guidelines. These platforms are bound to enforce strict measures, as non-compliance can lead to fines, suspensions or even closure.

Exits from the platform

An American user, who identifies as “non-binary” on RedNote, was censored after posting a post asking if the platform welcomes gays.

The post was removed within hours, the user told CNN.

The next day, he posted another post saying he would be leaving the platform over the incident and was bombarded with homophobic comments, with users accusing him of being disrespectful.

In a separate post, a male user expressed his frustration after RedNote censor a photo of his upper body.

“Why can’t I post pictures of me working out and my abs?” he wondered, adding that “never had such a problem on TikTok and Instagram.”

A Chinese user suggested he try covering his nipples, as Chinese social media platforms generally impose restrictions on showing them as it is perceived as sexually suggestive.

RedNote users reported that posts about the Japanese anime “My Hero Academia,” which has faced censorship in China since 2018 due to controversial references to Japan’s wartime history, have since been removed from the platform.

When asked whether China would tighten controls on content uploaded by overseas users, a spokesman for Beijing’s foreign ministry called social media use a “personal choice.”

“China has always supported and encouraged the strengthening of people-to-people exchanges and cultural exchanges with other countries to promote people-to-people connections,” Guo Jiakun said characteristically.

State-run Chinese newspaper People’s Daily said the influx of overseas users is indicative of Beijing’s growing soft power.

“Without a doubt, this is due to China’s deep historical and cultural accumulation … the openness of the country, the friendliness of the people and the tolerance of our society”the newspaper wrote on Thursday.

Emergency movements

The influx of users unfamiliar with China’s internet rules led RedNote to the decision to hire English-speaking content coordinators, familiar with Western culture.

Re

Since the beginning of this week, RedNote has conquered the first place in the Apple App Store on USA. While it is one of China’s largest social media platforms with 300 million users, it has not gained much exposure outside of China until now.

The company “is trying to find ways to moderate the English content and create English-Chinese translation tools”Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two sources familiar with the company.

According to the state-run Yangcheng Evening News, RedNote has posted urgent job postings for moderators focused on managing posts in English.

One such post, which first appeared on a Chinese recruitment platform, has since been removed. Another post, which still appears on RedNote’s official website, indicates that the company is looking new “trainees” who will help in “promoting the healthy development of the content community” in English.

Chinese RedNote users have also posted reminders for their American colleagues about navigating the censorship system. For example, some openly invited newcomers to accept China’s sovereignty over Taiwan.

Ivy Yang, a China technology analyst and founder of consultancy Wavelet Strategy, said that while the influx of new US users could create challenges for app content moderators and her Chinese governmentis still considered a “big win” for China.

“This is a self-selected group of curious users who are open to learning about the other side of the digital firewall and are leaning towards the possibility of being (proven) wrong about China and its people,” he stated.

That’s the case for Jeremy Fraga, a father of three from Fort Worth, Texas, who said he’s been addicted to RedNote since downloading it Monday and showing the platform to his kids.

“Going into RedNote and talking to these people for hours showed me a different side of China. Changed my worldview” Fraga said. “I think I’ll make this my new home, even if TikTok doesn’t get banned»he emphasized.