Taiwan Bans Chinese Social Media App RedNote Over Fraud Risks

Taiwan has announced a one-year ban on the Chinese social media app RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, citing significant fraud risks associated with the platform. The island's interior ministry reported that the app is linked to approximately 1,700 fraud cases that resulted in financial losses exceeding 247.7 million New Taiwan dollars, or about 7.9 million dollars, since 2024.

Officials indicated that the app failed all 15 cybersecurity tests conducted by Taiwan's National Security Bureau, which raised alarms about the app's potential for online shopping fraud. As a result, Taiwan's internet service providers have been instructed to block access to RedNote, and the government urged international platforms like Google to stop advertising the app.

This ban follows a previous prohibition of the app from government devices in 2022, reflecting ongoing concerns over foreign technology and its influence on local security. Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the opposition Kuomintang party, criticized the ban as a significant restriction on internet freedom, describing it as a step towards building a 'Great Wall of the Internet.' Despite the ban, RedNote has a user base exceeding 3 million in Taiwan, indicating its substantial popularity.

Earlier attempts to engage with the app's parent company for improvements went unanswered, further complicating the situation for Taiwanese authorities.