Regulatory challenges loom as Xiaohongshu faces global user surge: Experts
Following TikTok's looming ban in the United States, the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu has seen a significant surge in popularity overseas, unexpectedly receiving a massive influx of international users.
Experts interviewed by DotDotNews highlighted that this sudden wave of foreign users marks a first in the history of China's internet ecosystem. The influx presents new regulatory challenges as Xiaohongshu navigates the complex balance between diverse cultural expression and compliance with governance standards. It is a key experiment in improving Internet governance, advancing cultural exports, and strengthening China's global communication capabilities.
Since January 13, Xiaohongshu's homepage has seen a noticeable increase in foreign content. Mainland media reported that over 700,000 new users joined the platform within two days. Currently, Xiaohongshu ranks first on the free app download chart in the U.S. Apple App Store. According to data from research firm Sensor Tower, Xiaohongshu's U.S. downloads this week increased by over 200% year-on-year, with a weekly growth of 194% compared to the previous week.
Regulatory Challenges in Managing Global Traffic
Dr. Pan Kefeng, an information security expert and researcher at the National Engineering Center for Software Engineering at Peking University, pointed out that the influx of international users poses significant regulatory challenges. These challenges primarily involve addressing differences in religious beliefs, legal frameworks, cultural customs, and societal norms.
For instance, Dr. Pan noted that activities such as cannabis use, displaying firearms, or controlled items, which are strictly prohibited in China, are legal in many foreign regions. Similarly, cultural differences in religion, marriage systems, social customs, and ethical standards present complexities in content moderation. From a governance perspective, fostering international exchange and collaboration is crucial while resisting ideological infiltration, blocking harmful cultural imports, coordinating legal disparities, and protecting youth.
Upgrading Governance Strategies
Dr. Pan emphasized the need for platforms like Xiaohongshu to upgrade their regulatory tools, content moderation strategies, and focal points. He recommended platforms adopt advanced algorithmic technologies combined with manual review to monitor and filter sensitive keywords, false information, and malicious attacks in real-time. This would help curb the spread of harmful content and ensure information accuracy and authenticity while strengthening public opinion management.
Dr. Pan suggested implementing region-specific governance models to address differences in culture, law, and religion, similar to the dual-version strategy employed by Douyin (China's TikTok) and TikTok (international market). This approach would allow for independent product structures tailored to domestic and international markets, enabling a more flexible balance between cultural diversity and regulatory compliance.
A Test for China's Internet Governance and Cultural Export
Industry insiders also noted the irony of TikTok's potential ban, leading American users to flock to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese company-owned and operated platform. How Xiaohongshu manages this unexpected surge in global traffic will be a pivotal test for China's internet governance improvements, cultural export strategies, and ability to enhance international communication capabilities.
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