Taiwan will block access to RedNote—known globally as Xiaohongshu—for a year, citing a surge in online shopping scams and failures by the app’s operators to address cybersecurity concerns. The decision targets one of Asia’s most popular social platforms, a hybrid of TikTok-style video feeds and built-in e-commerce tools.
The island’s Criminal Investigation Bureau says it has recorded more than 1,700 fraud cases tied to the app since last year, with losses topping NT$247 million ($7.9 million). Local media report that the ban will affect at least three million users in Taiwan, making it one of the toughest actions the island has taken against a Chinese tech platform in recent years.
By Thursday, some Taiwanese users trying to open the app were met with a message saying it was inaccessible due to “security restrictions.” Internet service providers had been instructed to begin blocking access, according to officials.
Authorities argue the move became unavoidable after RedNote’s operators failed to respond to regulators’ requests for a detailed plan to strengthen data protections. Taiwan’s interior minister, quoted by the Taipei Times, noted that the company has no office on the island and has repeatedly declined to engage with inquiries about user safety and fraud prevention.
Launched in 2013, Xiaohongshu has grown to hundreds of millions of users worldwide, tapping into a young, style-driven audience across Asia. Its following expanded further this year as some American users turned to it amid talk of a possible US ban on TikTok.
But Taiwan’s concerns go beyond fraud. Officials and analysts describe a broader unease over Beijing’s growing influence through digital platforms—fears heightened by China’s long-standing claim over Taiwan. Policymakers in Taipei have warned that Chinese apps could be used to shape public opinion or spread disinformation, especially ahead of elections.
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China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has not commented on the ban. The platform itself has also been silent; the BBC says it has contacted Xiaohongshu for a response.
The company has faced scrutiny at home as well. In September, Chinese regulators said they were considering “strict punishment” against the firm over “negative” content posted by users—another reminder of the increasingly fraught terrain that Chinese social media companies navigate both inside and outside the mainland.