February 07, 2025

'Little Big RedNote': A Chinese social media app's brief moment

19 minutes

Sometimes, after a long day speaking English, former WBUR podcast fellow Cici Yu just wants to zone out and spend time on the internet where everyone is speaking her native language, Chinese. Her app of choice? Xiaohongshu, or RedNote. So, when Cici logged on recently to find a feed filled with English-speaking Americans, she was surprised.

Show notes:

"The great social media migration: Sudden influx of US users to RedNote connects Chinese and Americans like never before" (CNN)

"More speech and fewer mistakes" (Meta)

"Instagram hides search results for 'Democrats'" (BBC)

"Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers’ Posts" (The New York Times)

Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

***

Survey alert: Tell us what you love about the show, what you want more of; what you could stand a little less of. And if you complete the survey, we'll send you an extra episode (what Ben's calling a "dashboard confessional") in January.

Take the survey here: wbur.org/endlessthreadsurvey

Thank you!

...more