What is RedNote? Everything you need to know

RedNote is a TikTok alternative offering video sharing, product reviews, and e-commerce, but faces privacy concerns.

RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) in China, is emerging as a popular alternative to TikTok, combining features of Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. Launched in 2013, RedNote allows users to create and share short videos on various topics like fashion, beauty, food, travel, and lifestyle.

It is particularly noted for detailed product reviews, where users share their experiences with various goods and services, helping others make informed purchasing decisions.

The app also integrates e-commerce, letting users buy products directly through the platform based on what they see in videos and reviews. Users can follow others, comment, like, and share content, much like other social media platforms.

However, RedNote shares some similarities with TikTok in terms of concerns about privacy and data handling. While the platform is not owned by the Chinese government, it operates under Chinese law, which gives the government significant control over data and company decisions.

Additionally, the app's privacy policy is written in Mandarin, and there are concerns about how data might be shared with the Chinese government.

RedNote is currently available globally, but its primary content is in Mandarin, limiting its accessibility for non-Chinese speakers.

Despite these concerns, RedNote offers a unique mix of social media, video sharing, and e-commerce, making it a significant competitor to platforms like TikTok.

Meanwhile, TikTok ceased functioning in the U.S. late Saturday and was removed from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect on Sunday, mandating the app's shutdown due to national security concerns.

President-elect Donald Trump suggested he would grant a 90-day reprieve after taking office on Monday, a promise TikTok referenced in a notice to users.

The law requires TikTok to sever ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or shut down its U.S. operations.

Other ByteDance apps, like Capcut and Lemon8, were also unavailable. The White House stated that the incoming Biden administration would need to address the situation, and the Chinese embassy condemned the U.S. for unfairly suppressing TikTok.