Summary
Many Americans are migrating to RedNote, a Chinese-owned app based in China, raising significant privacy and security concerns.
Experts warn that RedNote, based in China, is subject to Chinese laws, including the Personal Information Protection Law and Data Security Law, which grant the government rights to request data and cooperation with intelligence operations.
Enforcement of these laws is often opaque. Analysts highlight risks of data collection, algorithm manipulation, and censorship on RedNote.
Critics argue the U.S. lacks comprehensive privacy laws, driving users to platforms like RedNote that may pose even greater risks than TikTok.
Admittedly, there is so much about this that I don’t understand. I most definitely don’t think that the solution is using billionaire owned data harvesters. I haven’t used social media like this for over a decade because it’s clear how we and our information is used and abused.
At the same time, I’m unfortunately all too acquainted with authoritarian states. For people to hand over their data to such a state–intentionally–is just mind boggling to me.
So, yes, you’re right. I’m misunderstanding a lot. I am not able to wrap my head around how the content of TikTok and/or other billionaire owned media platforms are worth everything that one has to give up to use them. I actively avoided such companies and, as such, the allure of the content doesn’t draw me in. Sure, there are things that I miss, but I don’t see the exchange as worth it.
Perhaps for some, the move to RedNote is a protest against the arbitrary banning of a single app among a sea of so many others doing the same thing. Perhaps it’s meant to expose the intent of the US and Western governments knowing they will inevitably fold (as the US currently seems to be doing), then the ends will just restore things to the way things were before… which is still terrible. Perhaps it’s just addicts chasing their next fix. I’m sure there’s lots of reasons driving it. From the outside though, it all seems crazed.
There is so very much about all of this that I will never understand. Well, I suppose I do understand enough about human nature to get it. It simply disturbs me. And all the while, the billionaire corps are going to do everything in their power to acquire and use people’s data for their own gain. Governments will leverage it with ill intent. And people will willingly let them.