China's CCP-controlled 'Little Red Book' app drives home two messages: America stinks and China rules
While TikTok has faced scrutiny over data privacy and potential Chinese government influence, LittleRedBook/RedNote goes even further in its restrictions.
Today, I decided to explore the world of the latest hyped Chinese state-controlled social media application. What I found was alarming but not particularly surprising, given the ruthless online “Great Firewall” censorship practices of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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China's "Little Red Book" app, known formally as Xiaohongshu (which translates into Little Red Book) or RedNote (for English-speaking audiences), has recently surged in popularity among American users, particularly in the wake of the TikTok ban, which was upheld by the Supreme Court Friday.
It is currently topping the charts in the iOS app store.
The very name "Little Red Book" evokes a historical association with Mao Zedong's "Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong," a symbol of ideological control during China's Cultural Revolution. Although the app's founders claim the name was inspired by Stanford University and Bain & Company rather than Maoist propaganda, the connotations are inescapable. This historical reference alone suggests a platform where content is curated to fit the very specific state-driven ideological mold, which is antithetical to many America’s ethos of free expression and diverse viewpoints.
The app's rapid rise in the U.S., especially among those fleeing from TikTok, can be seen as a somewhat ironic twist, given the operational ethos between the two platforms. While TikTok has faced scrutiny over data privacy and potential Chinese government influence, RedNote goes even further in its restrictions.
The first thing I did after downloading the app was to film a video about the Tiananmen Square massacre.
My post was immediately captured by the app’s AI, and I was instantly shadow banned. A note quickly popped up in Chinese that I ran through a translation app. It said that my video may have violated the rules and that I should take a look at the rules and post something else. After several hours, I posted a different video, this time remarking that Chinese leader Xi Jinping is embracing authoritarianism. The same note came up, and nobody else saw my post.
Unsurprisingly, RedNote, or Little Red Book users are subject to stringent censorship, with content moderation teams actively banning or limiting discussions on a vast array of "sensitive" topics including political critique, labor issues, and even certain cultural expressions. This level of control is alien to American social media norms, where, despite issues with what the libs refer to as “content moderation,” there is still significant room for debate.
On RedNote/Litle RedBook and throughout the Chinese social media app ecosystem, “Content Moderation” means ensuring compliance with Chinese censorship policies. This includes filtering out content deemed politically sensitive (like Tiananmen Square) or contrary to state narratives. In order to operate in China, any and every company must align its content policy with government restrictions and expectations.
From a data security standpoint, the concerns are even more pronounced. RedNote, like all Chinese social apps, operates under the umbrella of Chinese data laws, which mandate that data collected can be accessed by the Chinese government. This poses a significant privacy risk for American users, who might not fully understand or consent to the implications of their data being potentially surveilled or used by an adversarial foreign government. Unless you want your data being mined by the Chinese government, I would suggest avoiding this app and any China-based social apps and letting your humble correspondent take this one for the team.
Historically, the content on RedNote/LittleRedBook was reportedly apolitical due to Chinese censorship. It was effectively an Instagram-like consumerist vehicle until the swarm of Western users inundated the app.
Since the influx of American users into RedNote/LittleRedBook, it has fast transformed into a platform for fiercely anti-American propaganda, with the talking points often coming from Americans on the app. View the “explore” section and you’ll find nothing but pro-CCP and anti-US agitprop. Here’s a few random examples I pulled from the site.
Similar to TikTok, RedNote/LittleRedbook has deep ties to Chinese state control mechanisms, massive data privacy issues, and inherent censorship. It’s certainly not a place where you’ll find people prioritizing freedom, privacy, and open discourse. As Americans explore alternatives to TikTok, they must consider not just the functionality of such apps but also the broader implications for personal freedom and privacy. Or better yet, avoid all apps that serve as digital poison for the mind and soul.
From the frying pan into the fire (e.g. TikTok to Little Red Book). Sadly, most Americans using either don't care a whit about what restrictions the CCP imposes on free speech or their collection and use of personal data from users. It's just gimme the ability to post whatever is I wan't post - and who cares about implications or consequences.
I'm trying to get this to Bannon's team. They are advocating for the ban. Bad idea! For one, now the fools are going to a worse place. And secondly, the government should not be in the business of BANNING to keep us safe (for the most part). But this is a particularly egregious 1A violation. If we don't like what TT is teaching, then we need better teachers and better parents.