When Charlwin Mao and Miranda Qu Fang first founded Xiaohongshu, more commonly known in English-speaking markets as RedNote, in 2013, I doubt they suspected that the social media application would reach the heights it has in recent times. Following the United States’ tentative ban on the popular social media application TikTok, RedNote saw a vast influx of foreign users, some of which labeling themselves as “TikTok Refugees”. As an intriguing byproduct of this recent influx of foreign users, global cultures are mixing in a way that few could have expected. From young Chinese women fangirling over Luigi Mangione to American users asking for advice while learning Mandarin, RedNote has brought people together in a way that few social media applications have.
One thing that you will quickly notice upon opening RedNote is that the platform is left-leaning in a similar fashion to the manner in which Elon Musk’s X is right-leaning. Even with a fresh account, it simply took a minute or so of scrolling to find an image lionizing the United Healthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione. Posts such as this often garner hundreds or thousands of likes, demonstrating that not only does the algorithm lean-left, but the users tend to as well.
Luigi fan art aside, the general atmosphere of RedNote seems to be quite similar to mainstream social media platforms, with
discussions of daily life and beauty advice being featured prominently in the application. What makes RedNote unique is the environment in which it occurs, as even the simplest discussion can open the way for cultural exchange between American users and Chinese users. While some posts openly seek cross-cultural engagement, asking questions of their counterparts over the Pacific Ocean, much of the time such engagement is just a happy accident produced by everyday posts involving grocery hauls or outfit ideas. RedNote seems to have leaned into this theme of multiculturalism, introducing features such as the “Translate” function, which transcribes posts or comments from foreign languages to the user’s preferred language.
Furthermore, the actual content of the application contrasts deeply with the rumors surrounding it in wider American culture. Initial claims that the application was hostile to leftist content are proven humorously false by many of the posts on the application. Additionally, claims that the platform of silencing the voices of LGBTQ+ people or promoting hateful content seem to be just as false. Less than an hour into my time on the application, I had counted a number of posts regarding LGBTQ+ issues globally, especilly in regards to civil rights. The majority of the posts, however, are of a far more lighthearted nature.
Potentially the greatest part of RedNote, however, is how welcoming the Chinese users are to the influx of new international users. With millions of foreign users suddenly joining your primarily domestic social media platform, it would be understandable to be mildly miffed about the whole affair. However, most Chinese users seem to enjoy the fresh life that these diverse perspectives have breathed into the application, playfully instituting a “Cat Tax” asking American users to share pictures of their pets on the application.
In the same vein, the new American user base has not only helped build international relations, but also developed some opportunities for Chinese people to bond over. For instance, a fair bit of the Chinese users have enjoyed joking that, “Li Hua finally got his letter back.” When questioned about it, they explained that it was common for English classes in China to require young students to write imaginary letters as “Li Hua” to someone in the United States, thus indicating just how unique of an opportunity for cultural exchange RedNote has created.
In a world where the majority of social media platforms divide people, it is refreshing to find one that seems to unite more than it does divide. While you can certainly still find hateful and divisive rhetoric on the platform if you look hard enough, the main experience of the application is one filled with the awkward humor and the exhilarating thrill of learning more about a world so different to your own.
