Taiwan Blocks RedNote (Xiaohongshu) for One Year, App Fails All 15 Cybersecurity Tests | Langit Eastern
Taiwan has officially blocked access to the Chinese social media app RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, for a full year starting December 4, 2025. The decision came after authorities detected over 1,700 fraud cases linked to the platform, with total losses reaching NT$247.7 million (US$7.9 million).
Complete Security Failure: Zero Out of 15 Cybersecurity Indicators
Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior announced that Xiaohongshu failed all 15 indicators in cybersecurity tests conducted by the National Security Bureau. The app, which has over 3 million users on the island, was classified as a "high-risk area for online shopping fraud." Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan ordered all internet service providers in Taiwan to block access to the application during a press conference on Thursday.
The ministry also urged international platforms such as Google to "completely cease publishing Xiaohongshu advertisements." Authorities reminded the public not to download the app or to stop using it if already installed. The primary reason for the block is the significant difficulties faced by Taiwanese law enforcement in obtaining necessary information, as Taiwan lacks jurisdiction over the China-based company.
Timeline: From Warning Letters to Total Blockade
The blocking measure did not happen overnight. Earlier in 2025, Taiwan sent a letter to Xiaohongshu's parent company, Xingyin Information Technology (Shanghai), seeking concrete improvement measures. The company did not respond. Previously in 2022, Taiwan had already banned Xiaohongshu from government devices, calling it a "united front" for Chinese propaganda.
The decision sparked political debate within Taiwan. Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the opposition Kuomintang party, posted on Facebook that the move "significantly restricts internet freedom" and described the ban as "a starting point for building the Great Wall of the Internet" by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Meanwhile, Chinese state media dismissed the action, with Xinhua publishing a post titled "Lai Ching-te's shameless and boring action! DPP authorities ban RedNote for one year."
RedNote: From TikTok Refugees to Security Concerns
Xiaohongshu, which translates to "little red book," is an Instagram-like lifestyle social media platform popular among young people worldwide. The platform experienced a significant user surge in early 2025 when approximately 700,000 new users from the United States joined following the threat of a TikTok ban. This phenomenon, dubbed "TikTok refugees," drew global media attention to the platform.
However, beneath its popularity, the app's integrated shopping features created vulnerabilities exploited by fraudsters. With no local office in Taiwan and no legal jurisdiction for Taiwanese authorities to enforce regulations against the company, fraud cases continued to rise without adequate consumer protection mechanisms. Data shows that since 2024, over 1,700 fraud cases have been identified, with average losses of approximately NT$145,000 per case. The ban serves as a significant test case for how democratic nations can regulate foreign-owned social media platforms that operate beyond their legal reach.
Saran Link Internal: Comparison of app blocking policies across different countries, Impact of TikTok ban on user migration to alternative platforms, Cybersecurity analysis of Chinese social media applications