TikTok exodus: Finding refuge and cultural exchange on RedNote
What are the implications of the migration of US TikTok users to Chinese social media platform RedNote in terms of the cultural and technological competition between China and the US? University of Macau graduate students Li Wei and Gao Xueqi discuss the issue.
On 13 January, 2025, as the US government’s proposed TikTok ban loomed, a wave of self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees” migrated to the Chinese social media platform RedNote (Xiaohongshu). This seemingly simple platform migration reveals a complex interplay of global platform competition and collaboration within a cross-cultural context, reflecting the broader Sino-American technological and cultural rivalry.
The exodus was not solely triggered by the ban itself but is deeply intertwined with US digital policy manoeuvres, highlighting a profound anxiety within the US government regarding Chinese technological influence.
Strengths of TikTok and RedNote
In American political discourse, TikTok has become synonymous with “cultural confrontation”, epitomising the technological and cultural competition between China and the US. As the threatened ban materialised, some American users began questioning the government’s political manoeuvre, reflecting on its profound impact on their daily lives and social interactions.
TikTok’s core technology — its recommendation algorithm — significantly enhances user engagement and experience by accurately predicting user interests.
The “TikTok refugee” phenomenon underscores the intense competition between Chinese and American cultural industries within the digital platform arena. While US-based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X have certain technological advantages, they lag behind Chinese digital platforms like TikTok and RedNote in terms of precise recommendation algorithms and personalised content delivery. TikTok’s core technology — its recommendation algorithm — significantly enhances user engagement and experience by accurately predicting user interests.
RedNote, with its robust social features and recommendation system, has also attracted a significant number of overseas users. The US government’s attempt to curtail the expansion of Chinese platforms through political means has, in fact, indirectly accelerated the growth of Chinese platforms in technological innovation and their global user base.
RedNote, known for its strong cultural adaptability, has rapidly drawn in social and cultural creators from diverse global backgrounds, fostering cross-cultural exchange and creativity, which has driven innovations in cross-cultural communication and content creation. When it comes to online cultural competition, the technological contest goes beyond algorithms to encompass cultural identity, social interaction and platform adaptability.
American users who migrated to RedNote now have the opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese society, culture and everyday life.
A rare opportunity for cultural exchange
The migration of “TikTok refugees” has sparked more complex phenomena of cultural identity conflict and fusion. For a long time, American perceptions of Chinese culture have been largely based on media reports and news coverage that are often coloured by political bias, leading to misunderstandings and prejudice. American users who migrated to RedNote now have the opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese society, culture and everyday life.
However, the massive influx of overseas users has also highlighted severe governance challenges for digital platforms. The demands of cross-cultural exchange require platforms to meet the needs of local Chinese users and also to cater to the diverse requirements of users from varied cultural backgrounds, which necessitates precise cultural adaptation in content publishing, moderation and social interactions, while ensuring compliance to avoid cultural conflicts.
In this process, Chinese platforms must strengthen their technical capabilities, especially in multi-language support, cross-cultural content creation, and the integration of global user social experiences. The deep integration of the cultural industries of China and the US will significantly drive innovation and diversification in the global digital ecosystem.
The further development of digital platforms has led the Chinese and American cultural industries into a new stage of interaction. Digital platforms have evolved from simple tools for disseminating content into multifaceted internet spaces that integrate cultural identity, artistic creation and social interaction.
New opportunities present themselves
Such interaction has triggered a “long-tail effect”, signifying that the cultural industries of China and the US are no longer confined to confrontation but are engaging in broader collaboration and competition. Cross-cultural interactions effectively enhance platform traffic and user retention while creating new development opportunities for related industries, while fields such as cross-border e-commerce, brand marketing and digital content creation are seeing increased collaboration opportunities through platform innovations and the global dissemination of content.
The intensifying interaction and competition between Chinese and American cultural industries in the digital age presents new opportunities for market expansion, with the rise of Chinese culture in the global market becoming increasingly evident.
Amid the global wave of digitisation, social platforms will continue to face challenges in cultural adaptation and technological innovation to meet the diverse needs of a global user base. In the process, the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data will be critical to determining whether platforms can successfully adapt to the global market.
In summary, the “TikTok refugee” phenomenon offers a significant perspective on the globalisation of cultural industries, revealing the deep-seated competition between global digital platforms in the cultural and technological domains. The intensifying interaction and competition between Chinese and American cultural industries in the digital age presents new opportunities for market expansion, with the rise of Chinese culture in the global market becoming increasingly evident.
As digital technology and globalisation advance, platforms should leverage the opportunities presented by increased cross-cultural exchange to further cultivate a thriving global cultural industry. The integration of digital technology with global culture is poised to create a digital ecosystem that is more open, inclusive and diverse.
This article was first published in Lianhe Zaobao as ““TikTok难民”入驻小红书——透视中美文化产业与数码平台竞争”.
