"It is impossible to underestimate how little I care that the Chinese have my data," influencer Jen Hamilton said in a video shared with her 3.9 million followers on TikTok. Since joining Xiaohongshu on Monday, Hamilton has quickly gained 22,000 followers. This statement underscores a growing defiance among TikTok users regarding concerns about data privacy, as they seek alternatives amid the ban threat.
In anticipation of a ban, TikTok users have turned to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to diversify their online presence, thus a move to adopt another Chinese social media platform can be seen as an act of protest.
Many American users openly mocked the cybersecurity concerns of American elected officials with videos that bade farewell to their "Chinese spy." The hashtag "TikTok refugee" has received more than 80 million views on Xiaohongshu, highlighting the phenomenon of users migrating to new platforms.
To navigate Xiaohongshu's platform, which is almost entirely in Mandarin, users have resorted to AI translation and help from English-speaking locals, or "Xiaohongshu natives." This indicates a significant adaptation effort required by users in transitioning to a new social media environment.
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