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‘We petty af’: Expert shows her fellow Americans how to thrive on RedNote. But is it really safe to use?

‘They’re so nice.’

Photo of Diana Umana

Diana Umana

Two panel design with a woman looking and talking at the camera, next to an image of a logo for RedNote app

As TikTok turmoil leaves users curious about alternatives, one app seems to be rising in the chaos: RedNote, or Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), also referred to as Red Book. On Sunday, TikTok became available to U.S.-based users after 12 hours offline. But uncertainty lingers for the massive social network.

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In the meantime, content creator Krystn Walmsley has taken it upon herself to help her 42,000 TikTok followers navigate the other surging-in-popularity Chinese app. In her “Red Book Help” playlist, Krystn provides step-by-step guides, the most popular video being about how to set up a new RedNote account.

Why everyone is talking about RedNote

Amid the TikTok ban, RedNote emerged as both an alternative app and also as a way to protest U.S. lawmakers. Dispirited Americans are trolling the U.S. government’s concerns about Chinese propaganda… by outright flocking to China state-backed social media.

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Initially known for beauty content, Krystn’s Apple technician background of 8 years gave her an edge when she encountered RedNote. She joined quite recently, just last week, after seeing it mentioned in the TikTok comments as a potential replacement for the app. “When I signed up using a translator tool, I knew others were going to need help,” she shared, as she seamlessly shifted from influencer to unofficial app ambassador.

As it stands, help was desperately needed. One user lamented, “it won’t send me my verification code even though i put the right phone number in?! anyone know how to fix this?! i resent it multiple times and i don’t receive any code.” Felt. I was complaining about the same thing just last week on Reddit. Krystn has a video response for this, but the TLDR is that you just have to wait. The trick I learned? Only try to request the code on the hour. Don’t ask me why that works—it just does. Another loophole is setting up a Google Voice number.

Is Xiaohongshu really the new TikTok?

The app’s language barrier is another point of frustration—everything is in Chinese by default. Yet despite the target audience being users in China, RedNote has skyrocketed to No. 1 in the Social Networking category in the App Store. “Millions of Americans have been trying to sign up over the last 72 hours. We have overloaded their servers,” Krystn told this reporter. Despite this, she has grown fond of the platform. “The Chinese users are excited to talk with us. They are teaching us Chinese, having discussions about our cultures, and some users have been helping each other with homework!” One user may or may not have helped me with coding advice.

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Is RedNote safe? Addressing the spy balloon in the room

Concerns about data privacy loom large. After all, that’s supposedly one of the main reasons TikTok may be banned. When I asked if Americans should be worried about using a “Chinese-owned” app, Krystn remarked, “Facebook is listening to our conversations to create targeted ads. There are risks with any app.”

No Meta employees were harmed by that burn, but the point is that several apps on our phones track us in similar fashion as RedNote. The concerns are more theoretical and political as of press time: RedNote has pro-China perspectives which could influence Americans.

She added, “My experience has been pleasant so far.” Google Translate those terms of service and compare them to the ones of social apps you already use—the striking similarities may surprise you.

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Americans have entered the chat

Naturally, the RedNote craze has attracted skepticism. One commented facetiously, “What about Chinese spy’s [sic]?” Krystn’s response? “They’re so nice.” Sorry, CIA—can confirm.

As a “TikTok refugee” (as they’ve coined us), I’ve enjoyed my interactions with RedNote natives. Another commenter suggested a competitor, stating, “clapper is more easy,” to which Krstyn replied, “It’s also mostly [adult content].”

Patience, people!

Krystn has clearly found her lane as both a RedNote advocate and expert for American users. Between her transferable skills and her charm, newbies are in good hands. And as far as the migration is concerned, have patience. She’s here to help: “There are tons of tutorials on my TikTok and YouTube if you have trouble logging in.” Download all of your TikTok videos in the meantime.

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