“I Think I’ll Stay That Side”: Mzansi Woman Reviews RedNote, China’s Version of TikTok

• A South African social media user downloaded China's RedNote after hearing about the TikTok ban in the United States
• America planned to ban the popular social media platform after stating they felt the Chinese-owned app posed a national security threat
• The Mzansi woman shared her experience of the app and stated she saw many South Africans using it already

With Americans bidding farewell to TikTok in just a few days, many are flocking to download the RedNote app as a potential alternative.

In South Africa, the app is slowly gaining traction, and one Mzansi woman has already shared her thoughts on what China has to offer.

South African woman reviews RedNote

TikTok user Miss Thuli, who had already paid the Chinese app a visit, shared that she had seen many fellow South Africans using RedNote and shared her experience, stating:

"It's so nice. It's giving, when TikTok first started, positive vibes. Everyone is friendly, and there's no animosity, negativity, bullying, or weirdness.

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"I think I'll stay that side. I'm joking, I'll still stay on this side, but I'm just saying."

Watch the TikTok video below:

About the TikTok ban in America

On 13 March 2024, the United States House passed legislation banning the popular social media platform unless it parted ways with its Chinese parent company ByteDance.

Many wealthy entrepreneurs have shared their interest in buying the app.

According to a CNN report, lawmakers supportive of the bill argued that TikTok posed a national security threat as they thought the Chinese government could use its intelligence laws against ByteDance and force it to hand over American app users' data.

TikTok will officially be banned in America on 19 January 2025.

What is RedNote?

In a surprising twist, many American social media users have migrated to Xiaohongshu, China's popular social media app, which means 'Little Red Book,' or as others fondly call it, RedNote.

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"We run this app now": SA shares thoughts on controversial US TikTok ban

According to CNN, one of RedNote's key features is its content algorithm, which largely focuses on interest than app users.

SA reacts to woman's RedNote review

Several South African online users wondered about the Chinese app, while others shared they were already using the social media platform.

@carliecray laughed and shared:

"I’ve had it for six months now. It’s so fun."

A surprised @ladymcgrace asked:

"My sister, you accepted the terms and conditions written in Mandarin?"

Miss Thuli responded to the TikTokker:

"I screengrabbed and uploaded on ChatGPT to translate."

@pearl.nnene said with humour:

"I'm not repeating the mistake I made in 2020. It's time to be an influencer."

@langleezy03 told app users:

"I can't seem to find our people."

@connie20206 said to the online community:

"Let me hop on the RedNote app. I don't want to be left behind."

3 other stories about USA's TikTok ban

• Mzansi online users shared their reactions to the US government's TikTok ban as the Americans did a sad countdown.
• One South African woman made it clear that she would follow American social media users to the alternative Chinese platform.
• Amid the ban, a bold woman from the United States attracted global backlash after claiming that TikTok would be nothing without America.

Source: Briefly News