Welcome back to Week in Review. This week, we’re looking at the impacts of the looming TikTok ban in the U.S., including the “TikTok refugees” moving to Chinese app RedNote, the surge of English speakers learning Mandarin on Duolingo, and more! Let’s get into it.
The Supreme Court upheld the law that will effectively ban TikTok tomorrow. The decision marks the end of TikTok’s monthslong legal fight against a law that essentially forces the app to shut down unless it divests its U.S. operations. Starting Sunday, it will be illegal for app stores and internet hosting services to distribute TikTok. The company warned that the app will “go dark” on Sunday, but it’s unclear what exactly will happen when the ban takes effect.
American users are flocking to RedNote, a Chinese short-form video app also known as Xiaohongshu, making it the No. 1 free app on the U.S. App Store. RedNote hits a lot of the right notes for creators looking for a TikTok alternative: It has a layout that’s similar to Pinterest’s, it is typically thought of as China’s answer to Instagram, and it boasts a number of social shopping features. But the transition hasn’t been easy for some people.
TikTok users are using Duolingo to learn Chinese in increasing numbers amid their adoption of RedNote ahead of the TikTok ban. According to Duolingo, the app has seen roughly 216% growth in new Mandarin learners in the U.S. compared to this time last year, with a sharp spike in mid-January as RedNote’s adoption took off.
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