US users turn to Chinese social media platforms ahead of TikTok ban

The move comes amid TikTok's urgent search for a U.S. buyer to maintain its operations in the country beyond Jan. 19.

According to reports from The Straits Times, both Xiaohongshu and Lemon8 have surged to the top of Apple's iPhone download charts in the U.S. in the wake of the looming TikTok ban.

Xiaohongshu, launched in 2013 and backed by Alibaba Group Holding, is popular among Chinese-speaking communities overseas for sharing photos, videos and personal updates. The platform also offers an English-language version to cater to a broader audience.

Lemon8, another Chinese social media alternative, has seen its downloads triple across iOS and Android platforms in the past week, based on data from Sensor Tower.

This week, Xiaohongshu has witnessed a rise in English-language content and users, with the hashtag #tiktokrefugee amassing over 25 million views on the platform.

Among the notable figures making the switch is Nuha, a U.S. influencer with over 1.5 million followers on TikTok. In her debut video on Xiaohongshu, Nuha expressed feeling both nervous and excited about using the new application, as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). She has also uploaded a tutorial on TikTok to guide her followers on creating accounts on Xiaohongshu.

TikTok has announced plans to disable its app for U.S. users on Sunday, as reported by U.S. media company The Information. The decision is set to proceed unless the Supreme Court intervenes, according to Reuters.