With the threat of the social media platform TikTok being banned in the U.S., users started migrating to the Chinese app Xiaohongshu, known globally as RedNote. Among those are Latino content creators who are bringing their culture with them.
Some of the cultural trends and values Latinos are bringing to RedNote are Mexican music, classic recipes, and even the love for Bad Bunny.
A social media rebellion
The downloading of RedNote went into overdrive when the United States Supreme Court upheld the law banning the app unless the platform's owner, ByteDance, sells TikTok to another owner unaffiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. It had started days before.
Since this Tuesday, RedNote is the number one most downloaded app in both Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store.
Ironically, "Xiaohongshu" fully translates to "Little Red Book," a reference to Chinese Communist Party founder Mao Zedong's book on political theory of the same name.
So switching from TikTok to an app with a Chinese name that's a reference to Mao's book seemed like the perfect act of rebellion for many users who are angry about the ban. They have also said that even if TikTok stays, they will maintain their RedNote accounts.
"I am mourning the possible closure of TikTok," said Miami creator Timur Tuğberk to The Latin Times. Tuğberk, whose username is @timurdc added, "At least I have RedNote now. They have been so welcoming and interested in what we can offer."
"TikTok changed my life, and like many creators, I find this terrible, but RedNote is also bringing new things to my life. I am learning a lot about the way of life in China and their culture. I hope I can offer the same", he added.
@building.that.girl This app would be missed deeply, but don’t worry too much about me. I’m taken care of over there. #rednote
♬ original sound - Daisy Salvatierra
Another TikTok creator who has found a home in RedNote is Houston resident Daisy Salvatierra, who has shared her excitement for the way users of the Chinese apps have embraced her Mexican culture.
"This app would be missed deeply, but don't worry too much about me," said Salvatierra whose user name is @building.that.girl. "I'm taken care of over there," Salvatierra added after sharing that she has found recipes for Mexican dishes like Pozole Rojo on RedNote.
@la_trompita, a Mexican American TikTok creator from California, found delightful how a Chinese man enjoyed 'La Chona', the iconic song from Mexican band Los Tucanes de Tijuana on a livestream. "They are embracing Mexican culture", she celebrated.
@raquel2470 @Bad Bunny @Meliza Janee @TikTokRefugee #tiktokrefugee
♬ sonido original - Jhey :)
It's not just the Mexicans having fun on RedNote either. Boricua creator Raquel Lopez, shared a screen-recording of the amount of content dedicated to Bad Bunny there is on the app.
Lopez, whose TikTok handle is @raquel2470, is a Bad Bunny super-fan whose posts are mostly dedicated to the Puerto Rican superstar, so finding a side of his fanbase on the other side of the world was clearly amusing for her.
A sense of loss
While those who have already made the transition to RedNote are having fun with unique cultural exchange, creators are experiencing both an emotional and practical loss with the ban of TikTok.
Venezuelan creator Espfel Rosa, whose username on TikTok is @espeltv, has over 1 million followers on TikTok. She recently revealed that she will lose "Around 10,000 dollars a month," once the ban occurs.
Many have built their livelihoods and created communities through TikTok and those creators will most likely lose all of that once they no longer have access to the app.
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