“It’s not a foregone conclusion that RedNote will suddenly enjoy TikTok’s success and popularity,” Gorman said. “Actually gaining the traction TikTok has is rare. And the size of the national security threat is really proportional to the size of the user base.”

The law that took aim at TikTok over national security concerns has prompted Americans looking for alternatives to download Xiaohongshu, a social media app that is popular in China.

There are good reasons why American 'TikTok refugees' are flocking to this app over others. But the exodus may not last.