American Man Explains Why Men Using RedNote Is A ‘Major Ick’
"It just gives me a Great Wall of China-sized ick."
fizkes | Shutterstock When the Supreme Court unanimously decided to uphold the ban on TikTok, many Americans flocked to another Chinese-owned social media platform — Xiaohongshu, known as "the little red book" in China or RedNote as it appears in English app stores.
Although the majority of communication on the app is in Mandarin, Americans were welcomed with open arms as "TikTok refuges." Chinese users helped Americans learn Mandarin and people across the world came together to share insight into their daily lives.
Yet one man on TikTok cautioned American men about using the app, concerned that they were invading a space not meant for them.
The American man explained that men using RedNote gives him a 'major ick' because the app was designed as a space for women.
I, like many, flocked to the app for refuge after the banishment of the ByteDance-owned apps TikTok, Lemon8, and CapCut. Reuters reported that over 700,000 new users joined RedNote in just two days.
Content creator Andrew, @andr3wsky on social media, was among those who joined RedNote; however, he has since decided to cease posting on the app.
“I just wanna say: I'm not gonna be posting any more videos on Xiaohongshu, also known as Red Note, Red Book, Little Red Book, moving forward,” he explained in a video. “I just found out moments ago, that that app was designed for women to share women's interests with other women and has a user base that consists primarily of women, which honestly explains a lot about why that app doesn't [expletive] suck.”
“But me being an American man,” he continued, “invading what feels a lot like a women's space, just gives me the [expletive] ick, alright? It just gives me a Great Wall of China-sized ick.”
RedNote has a predominantly female user base.
According to Econsultancy, the app was created in 2013 and was originally intended for "Chinese shoppers traveling abroad to share product recommendations and reviews." It then developed into an e-commerce app with a focus on makeup tutorials, fashion tips, and posts about daily life.
A 2024 report by Qiangua, a Chinese-language source, found that 70% of RedNote’s users are female. Because of this, Andrew has consciously decided to stop posting on the app.
"I know they've been really sweet and welcoming up to this point, but now I'm starting to see videos from Chinese women being like 'You're still here?'" Andrew explained. "One woman likened it to throwing a party and then waking up in the morning and there's still a bunch of strangers dancing in your living room. I just don't wanna wear out my welcome."
Still, he admitted that he plans to continue consuming content on RedNote. "I'm not saying you can't use the app. I'm not saying you can't post videos. I'm not saying you can't consume content there. I'm certainly gonna keep it and continue to consume content there," he added. "I'm just saying that if it is a women's space, I'm not gonna clutter it up with me."
Others online caution Americans against using RedNote for several reasons.
The app gave Americans unique insight into the lives of Chinese people and many were gobsmacked to see their affordable housing, groceries, and vehicles. "I think it's a great cultural exchange between the American and Chinese peoples," Andrew said. "It really highlights how much we have in common, even if our governments are at odds with one another."
Yet, others online warn about the risks associated with the app.
For one, the app poses a data security risk greater than that of TikTok. "User data collected by RedNote will be stored in China, whereas TikTok’s user data is stored outside of China," Angela Zhang, a professor of law at the University of Southern California who specializes in the study of Chinese tech regulation told NBC News.
“Another key concern with TikTok is the potential manipulation of its algorithm to influence public opinion in the U.S.,” Zhang added. "RedNote’s algorithms are subject to close scrutiny by the Chinese government."
The censorship on the app is also concerning. “This is certainly not a platform which values free speech,” Cooper Quintin, senior staff technologist at the nonprofit digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, said. “It’s a heavily censored application on which topics such as political speech, drugs and addiction, and sexuality are more tightly controlled even than similar social networks.”
Of course, people are also calling out TikTok for censorship, especially following the 12-hour shutdown.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.