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Biden’s TikTok Flip-Flop: President Rushes To Undo Ban He Championed As Backlash Grows
(www.techdirt.com)
this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2025
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Personally I still don't believe that a completely unknown app was suddenly getting new members in the means of some grassroots protest.
Maybe it is more (or gotten) more known through TikTok and that's why it was basically unknown for me.
Still, I think this is artificially hyped as a reaction to a potential TikTok ban and not some organic growth - even taking into account people switching in protest
I think, I've heard about this app like once in the last years. And, not wanting to sound self centered, but as a software dev and quite interested in anything internet, I find this development rather strange.
Was "little red book" promoted on TikTok or how did so many people, who are usually just consumers of feeds, suddenly heard of that new app?
Especially, when I have a really hard time to have them install a new app, like Signal, in other cases.
Ok, this wasn't really a good answer to your comment, sorry. You're right, that the TikTok feed just builds individual bubbles, so right wingers will get more right wing info and the other way round.
But the sudden switch to a practically unknown app just... seems fishy
It is a protest. Some Americans may ultimately remain on "Little Red Book" but the main purpose of making it the #1 app in the US was to spite the government. It's a much more restrictive app than Tiktok, but people are enjoying talking to foreign nationals both ways.
I completely get all that, but looking at the typical user base that uses mainstream social media platforms, like TikTok, I don't see them being knowledgeable about some china centered alternative app
I just don't see, how so many would switch to that, as most of them wouldn't have known about it a week ago.
Was it promoted on TikTok?
Yes, it is a Tiktok meme. A few may actually remain on Xiaohongshu but probably most will migrate to whatever logical replacement pops up.