Xiaohongshu (RedNote), the Chinese social media app has exploded in popularity as the US government mulls a TikTok ban. According to some reports, this have been as many as 700,000 Western users in two days.
As Bytedance’s video-sharing platform hangs on the edge of the chopping block, RedNote is said to be rushing to bring in English-speaking moderators.
With any software stemming out of China, there are limits to what can be said. Mentions of Xi Jinping, Tiananmen Square, and other outlawed topics are seeing users banned, as well as presumably causing issues for RedNote at home.
An American customer service company is actively hiring for positions, with mentions of “moderating the videos by accounts of foreign friends on Xiaohongshu.” To get around the hold-up, Xiaohongshu has implemented a 48-hour block on posts being viewed publicly while they determine if the account is causing trouble or not.
According to Wired, a now taken-down position mentioned “overnight urgent recruitment”, even mentioning “TikTok refugee moderation”, which is how American users are referring to themselves.
Artificial intelligence-powered translation house Transn has also posted jobs for moderating the platform. The report states that the pay is anywhere between $600 and $1100, or 4500 to 8000 RMB (Chinese Yuan). Some listings have said not to bother applying if they can’t immediately start.
Xiaohongshu RedNote app is creating Chinese-US cultural exchanges
Despite the app being made internationally, it is mostly in Chinese, as it wasn’t expected to be picked up by non-speaking users. The same goes for its staff, which the company is now hiring for.
RedNote is fairly similar to TikTok, with looping videos being the main focus. However, it does have an “explore” page, which brings up Instagram style or short-form blog content. As of right now, RedNote doesn’t split its users either creating a digital cultural exchange between US and Chinese users.
This has included ensuring that subtitles are available in both languages, as well as Chinese users joking about being their “Chinese spy”. Americans on TikTok have mentioned that those in China seem happy and can “afford groceries”.
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