'TikTok refugees' a mixed blessing for Chinese app Xiaohongshu

HONG KONG -- The political drama surrounding TikTok has taken an ironic turn over the past week as American users, outraged at Washington's attempt to ban their favorite app, have begun flocking to another Chinese offering in the name of "free speech."

Xiaohongshu, whose name literally means "little red book" but is also known in English as RedNote, is wildly popular in its home market -- one of the most censored countries in the world. This contradiction makes the app's sudden popularity among U.S. users both puzzling and potentially troubling for Xiaohongshu.