Amid the chaos of a looming TikTok ban in the US, a new, surprising social media story began to weave itself. In the space of just a few days, one of China’s most popular social platforms, Xiaohongshu, or “Little red book”, shot to the top of the US download charts, as millions of US-based users flocked to the app, keen not to miss out on their daily social media fix.
Xiaohongshu (小红书), more commonly referred to in English in its shortened form of “rednote”, became world-famous overnight. Will its popularity last, especially in the face of an impending TikTok ban stateside? Whether it’s simply enjoying its five minutes of fame, or the app is here to stay, parents need to know – is RedNote safe for teens to use, and what kind of content could your child come across on there?
What is rednote?
rednote is a Chinese social media platform which feels somewhat like a hybrid between TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest. All three of these apps are banned in China, but other domestic apps offering similar experiences, including rednote, Douyin, and Weibo are hugely popular. rednote started out as a shopping guide, where keen consumers could share reviews with the community.
As the app’s popularity grew, it morphed into more of a social network, drawing in Chinese-speakers largely sharing lifestyle videos, cosmetic and fashion content, travel tips, and food and drink recommendations. According to research firm Qian Gua, rednote had 300 million monthly active users in 2024. When the app started trending in the news and on social media, ahead of TikTok’s uncertain future, rednote gained over 3 million users in one day in the US, quickly landing it the top spot in the country’s app store.
How old do you have to be to use rednote?
On the App Store, rednote is recommended as 12+, and the Google Play Store lists it as “Parental Guidance Recommended”. rednote’s terms and conditions mention that users should be 18 and over to use the application, but as there is no age verification system, it’s easy for underage users to create an account.
Why is rednote popular?
rednote is most commonly used to share recommendations, offering fashion, travel, beauty, and food tips. When signing up, you select topics, such as food, arts and crafts, or cosmetics, which offers a more personalized algorithm related to interests, rather than who users follow.
Despite the recent surge of US users, the majority of the content is still Mandarin-dominated, but as more users join the app from outside China, more videos in English and other languages are being uploaded, and comments are also starting to reflect this shift.
Many US users are flocking to rednote as a form of digital protest, moving to the platform in response to the possibility of a TikTok ban. Whether these users will stick remains to be seen, but it’s important to bear in mind if your child is either one of the millions who have joined up, or if they’re interested in exploring the app. Trends come and go, but before letting your child join any new social network, it’s important to be familiar with how it works – so let’s explore some of the possible issues both parents and children might come across on rednote.
Is rednote safe for teens to use?
Parents should investigate and carefully consider any new application that children are using, and rednote is no different. To help parents understand the potential risks of the platform, we’ve outlined some of rednote’s key issues.
Inappropriate content
As with any social media, teens can come across content that isn’t appropriate for their age as they explore the feed, or content that doesn’t align with your family values.
It’s worth noting that rednote’s content moderation policies are stricter than other social media apps such as TikTok. Content that US users are more used to, such as violence, political content, or what could be perceived as sexually suggestive material (for example, someone in the gym with their shirt off) is much more likely to be removed. This relates to more restrictive content policies which are standard in China, and which clash directly with the US’ outlook on freedom of expression – something that parents may want to bear in mind when discussing the app with teens.
Direct messaging and comments
While many new users noted how welcoming the rednote community was during the sudden influx of English speakers, that doesn’t mean everyone’s experience on the application will be positive. Comments and opinions can quickly turn mean or hurtful on social media, and another thing for parents to consider is the app’s direct messaging features, allowing vulnerable younger users to be contacted by strangers.
Data collection
One of the main concerns in the media surrounding rednote is how it collects data – and how much it collects. This is nothing new in the social media space. These platforms in general are driven by data, and collect vast amounts of it in order to understand how users consume content, and push a more personalized algorithm. This data can also be sold to third parties, such as advertisers, depending on where you live in the world.
Before you or your child creates any social media account, it’s important to understand how your data will be used, if there are any inbuilt security settings, and how you can keep your personal information private as you use these platforms.
Here’s how you and your teen can protect personal information on social media:
- Never share daily routines. People shouldn’t know where you go to school, where you live, or other personal details that can identify you online -and can allow users to locate you in the real world.
- Use inbuilt privacy settings, such as a private profile, and only accept friend requests from people that you know in real life.
- Be careful what you share, even during exciting moments, such as passing a driving test, traveling for the first time, or getting your first paycheck. Make sure never to share any identifiable information, such as passport information, driving license, national ID, or social security numbers.
Is rednote safe for teens? Qustodio’s final recommendation
Time will tell if rednote’s newfound popularity stays the course, but our message to parents will always be the same: Make sure that you are familiar with any new app that your child is interested in using, and work together with them to create an experience that focuses on the positives (if the app has any), while also ensuring that the risks and negatives are something you both understand.
If you see your child is interested in using, or is already using rednote, here are some ways you can talk to them about it:
- Start the conversation, without judgment. Coming into the talk with a curious approach will help your child open up to you, while also letting them see your perspective if you are against them using the app. Talk to your child about why they want to download, or have downloaded rednote, and what they like about it.
- Either by downloading the app yourself, or sitting with your child to see how the platform works, you need to understand the features it has, how it works, and the potential risks they’re up against. Explore the apps and platforms they use together to gain insight and stay up-to-date on their interests there.
- Approach them with an emphasis on safety. Explain how they can keep their data and information safe as they explore new apps.
- Encourage critical thinking. There is a vast amount of information and content available on social media, and not all of it should be taken at face value. Teach your child to think for themselves, how to research and verify information, and let them know you are always there to help if they need it.
Social media allows us to learn, connect with other cultures and ideas, and be entertained, but at the same time, there are harmful and dangerous elements to it, especially for younger users.
Ultimately, we’d recommend that parents use age recommendations as a basic guideline, but make decisions based on what you know about the individual app, combined with your child’s maturity, personality, and how they interact with the digital world. Working together with your child, you can help them to understand your point of view and what’s inappropriate for their age, while they have a safer, healthier online experience.
