Taiwan has ordered internet service providers to block access to the Chinese social media app RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, for one year after authorities linked the platform to a sharp rise in online shopping fraud and cited unresolved data security concerns.
Authorities cite scale of fraud cases and financial losses
Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau said on Thursday that it had detected more than 1,700 fraud cases connected to the app since last year. The total financial losses tied to those cases exceeded NT$247 million (£5.9m; $7.9m), according to local media reports.
RedNote operates as a short-video and social media platform with built-in e-commerce features, similar in format to TikTok. Local outlets estimate that the ban affects at least three million users in Taiwan.
The BBC has contacted Xiaohongshu and Taiwanese authorities for comment.
Access blocked by internet providers
BBC checks in Taiwan showed that the app was no longer accessible for some users on Thursday. Instead of loading content, the platform displayed a message stating that it was unavailable due to “security restrictions.”
Taiwanese media reported that the decision followed a series of fraud investigations and official findings that the app failed to meet required data security standards, which authorities said placed users at risk.
Regulators cite lack of local presence and non-compliance
Taiwan’s interior minister, quoted by the Taipei Times, said the company behind the app does not operate a local office in Taiwan and has failed to respond to requests from regulators to submit a plan outlining improvements to its cybersecurity safeguards.
App growth and international scrutiny
Xiaohongshu launched in 2013 and has grown to hundreds of millions of users worldwide, with particularly strong adoption across Asia. The platform also saw increased interest from U.S. users this year as concerns rose over potential restrictions on TikTok in the United States.
Broader security and geopolitical context
Taiwan’s temporary ban comes amid wider concerns over the use of social media platforms by Beijing to influence public opinion and spread disinformation.
Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province that it ultimately seeks to bring under Chinese control and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve that aim.
Xiaohongshu has also faced regulatory pressure inside China. In September, Chinese regulators said they had called for “strict punishment” of the company’s leadership over content described as “negative” on the platform.
Featured image credits: Heute.at
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