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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K935: Tiktok Reguees: When Americans Choose Chinese Social Media

Highlights 主題摘要：

• The potential TikTok ban in the United States has led to an unexpected cultural phenomenon, with American users deliberately choosing a Chinese platform as a form of protest and cultural exploration.
• Despite language barriers and different internet norms, Chinese and American users are creating meaningful connections through teaching languages, sharing cultural insights, and engaging in daily life discussions.
• This digital migration demonstrates how social media can transcend political tensions and create genuine person-to-person connections, challenging traditional notions of digital borders.

In an unprecedented shift, American social media users are flocking to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform, as TikTok faces an imminent ban in the United States. This mass movement has given birth to a unique phenomenon where users identify themselves as "TikTok refugees," fostering an unexpected connection between American and Chinese social media communities.

在一場前所未有的轉變中，隨著 TikTok 在美國面臨即將到來的禁令，美國社群媒體用戶正大量湧入小紅書這個中國社群媒體平台。這場大規模遷移催生了一個獨特現象，用戶自稱為「TikTok 難民」（TikTok refugees），在美國和中國社群媒體社群之間建立起意想不到的連結。

The influx of American users to Xiaohongshu, which translates to "Little Red Book" in English, coincides with the U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of legislation requiring TikTok's separation from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, by January 19. Rather than migrating to established Western platforms, many American users have deliberately chosen this Chinese application as a form of protest against the proposed ban. This bold decision has propelled Xiaohongshu to the top position of free applications on Apple's App Store in the United States, marking a significant shift in digital platform preferences. The platform has traditionally served as a hub for lifestyle content, including product reviews, travel recommendations, and beauty tutorials, attracting over 300 million monthly active users.

美國用戶湧入小紅書的時機，恰逢美國最高法院正在審議一項法案，該法案要求 TikTok 必須在 1 月 19 日前與其中國母公司字節跳動（ByteDance）分離。許多美國用戶並未選擇轉向知名的西方平台，反而刻意選擇這個中國應用程式，以此抗議擬議中的禁令。這個大膽的決定使小紅書躍升為蘋果應用商店在美國最受歡迎的免費應用程式，標誌著數位平台偏好的重大轉變。該平台傳統上一直是生活風格內容的集散地，包括產品評論、旅遊推薦和美妝教學，每個月吸引了超過 3 億的活躍用戶。

The cultural exchange unfolding on Xiaohongshu has been remarkably positive, with Chinese users extending warm welcomes to their American counterparts. Many Chinese users have volunteered to teach Mandarin, while others provide valuable guidance on navigating the Chinese internet landscape. Despite language barriers and the absence of translation features, users from both countries are discovering innovative ways to communicate and share their experiences. Some American users have even begun learning basic Mandarin phrases to better interact with their new online friends, while Chinese users offer assistance with understanding cultural nuances and platform features.

在小紅書上展開的文化交流異常正面，中國用戶熱情歡迎他們的美國朋友。許多中國用戶自願教授普通話，還有人提供有價值的中文網路使用指南。儘管存在語言障礙且缺乏翻譯功能，兩國用戶仍在發掘創新的方式來溝通和分享經驗。一些美國用戶甚至開始學習基礎普通話片語例句，以便更好地與他們的新網友互動，而中國用戶則協助他們理解文化細微差異和平台功能。

This digital migration presents both challenges and opportunities for cross-cultural understanding. While American users are exploring a new platform for expression and cultural exchange, they must adapt to different content moderation rules and cultural norms. Some Chinese users have kindly educated newcomers about sensitive topics that might face censorship, while others engage in lighthearted discussions about culture, food, and daily life. The situation has created an unexpected space for genuine person-to-person interactions between American and Chinese users, demonstrating how social media can effectively bridge cultural divides even amid broader geopolitical tensions. As this digital experiment continues to unfold, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the potential for social media to foster international understanding and connection, challenging traditional notions of digital borders and cultural barriers in our increasingly interconnected world.

這場數位遷徙為跨文化理解帶來挑戰和機遇。當美國用戶在探索這個表達和文化交流的新平台時，他們必須適應不同的內容審核規則和文化規範。一些中國用戶善意地提醒新來者關於可能面臨審查的敏感話題，而其他人則投入輕鬆的文化、美食和日常生活討論。這種情況創造了一個意想不到的空間，讓美國和中國用戶進行真誠的個人互動，展現了社群媒體如何在更廣泛的地緣政治緊張局勢中有效地為文化鴻溝架起橋樑。隨著這場數位實驗的推展，它為社群媒體促進國際理解和連結的潛力提供了一個迷人的視角，挑戰了我們在這個日益互聯的世界中對數位邊界和文化障礙的傳統認知。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字：

1. Influx (In-flux) [noun. when many people or things arrive at the same place at the same time]: The influx of American users to Xiaohongshu coincides with the U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of legislation.
2. Deliberately (De-lib-er-ate-ly) [adverb. doing something on purpose, not by accident]: Many American users have deliberately chosen this Chinese application as a form of protest against the proposed ban.
3. Unfolding (Un-fold-ing) [verb. happening or developing gradually]: The cultural exchange unfolding on Xiaohongshu has been remarkably positive.
4. Newcomers (New-com-ers) [noun. people who have recently arrived at a place or joined a group]: Some Chinese users have kindly educated newcomers about sensitive topics that might face censorship.
5. Fascinating (Fas-ci-nat-ing) [adjective. very interesting and attractive]: As this digital experiment continues to unfold, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the potential for social media to foster international understanding.

Reference article:

1. https://apnews.com/article/china-xiaohongshu-tiktok-ban-refugees-c7f440803128ef50f0ade44d16068f01

2. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/14/tiktok-ban-rednote-app