RedNote, a short-form video and augmented reality platform better known in Mandarin as xiaohongshu, or “little red book,” has rapidly gained traction in recent years as an alternative to the video blogging service TikTok, especially among younger users drawn to its immersive alternate reality features and tailored content feeds. Like TikTok, RedNote offers algorithmically driven entertainment; however, its underlying infrastructure and legal obligations differ in critical ways. While TikTok has faced scrutiny over its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and its opaque data practices, RedNote is even more closely aligned with the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) surveillance architecture. Promoted as a creative social app, RedNote conforms to PRC policy of surveillance-by-design, requiring extensive data extraction, non-transparent content moderation, and legally mandated state access to user information. This closer look examines how RedNote operates within—and extends—the global reach of China’s digital governance model.

The author, Christian Ryan, is an open-source national security researcher and a Research Fellow at Trefoil Strategies Ltd., a Pittsburgh-based risk consultancy.

Is it possible to show direct, observable connections between China’s big tech firms and the PRC government? Our analysis uncovers numerous direct fiduciary and controlling ties between Alibaba and Chinese State Owned Enterprises.