TikTok Refugees Highlight US Tech Struggle

As debates over a potential TikTok ban heat up in the US, a surge of users dubbed “TikTok refugees” are migrating to Chinese social media platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin. According to John Ross, a senior fellow at Renmin University’s Chongyang Institute, this trend exposes the long-term failure of US attempts to stifle China’s tech innovation.

“The US has tried to suppress Chinese tech for years, but creativity can’t be contained,” Ross told CGTN. He likened the situation to a “digital domino effect,” where restrictions on one app only fuel interest in alternatives.

Analysts say the shift reflects growing global appetite for diverse digital ecosystems—and a win for China’s homegrown tech scene. With over 150 million US users, TikTok’s cultural influence remains unmatched, but its rivals are gaining ground. Could this be the start of a new social media era?

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TikTok refugees prove US failure of technology suppression: Scholar

cgtn.com