What to know about new app people are flocking to ahead of TikTok’s ‘immediate shutdown’ this weekend

We're just a few days away from the United States banning TikTok, and hundreds and thousands of Americans have now flocked to a brand-new app ahead of the proposed ban.

TikTok, the widely popular short-form video-sharing platform, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, could soon be removed from Apple and Google app stores for US users ahead of Donald Trump's upcoming inauguration.

Here's everything we know about the sitauation so far.

Why is the US banning TikTok?

TikTok, which now boasts 170 million users in the States, is reportedly being banned over concerns that the Chinese government could manipulate content and gain access to sensitive user data through the app - allegations the social media company has fervently denied.

The US Justice Department has said that, due to TikTok's Chinese parent company, it poses 'a national-security threat of immense depth and scale', per the BBC.

The New York Times reports that it was these concerns which prompted Congress to pass legislation that would ban TikTok unless it was sold to a government-approved buyer.

Ahead of the ban, TikTok users are now racing in their masses to download a new app to their phone.

RedNote was the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store as of Monday (13 January) (Cheng Xin/Getty Images)

What is RedNote?

The new app in question Americans are now flocking to is RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu which is Mandarin for 'little red book'.

As of Monday (13 January), RedNote was the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store - six days before TikTok’s ban in the United States could go into effect on Sunday (19 January) and one day before Trump's inauguration next Monday (20 January).

The app in question, founded over a decade back in 2013, is extremely popular in Mandarin-speaking countries and has more than 300 million monthly active users, per Bloomberg.

TikTok could be banned a day before Donald Trump's inauguration (CFOTO / Contributor / Getty Images)

How does RedNote compare to TikTok?

It's not exactly a 'clone' of TikTok, as it's been more closely compared to Instagram with elements likened to Pinterest.

While it does offer short-form videos and images to users via an algorithm like TikTok, other features like text posts and shopping elements are also prominent.

RedNote's interface is also different from TikTok's, namely as users must log in to begin using it as opposed to a video immediately playing upon opening the app.

Trump previously urged the Supreme Court to delay the TikTok ban (Scott Olson / Staff / Getty Images)

What does Donald Trump have to say about the ban?

Back in December, Trump urged the Supreme Court to delay the ban in order to give his incoming administration 'the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the question at issue in the case'.

"For all of those who want to save TikTok in America, vote Trump," Trump said during his election campaign. "The other side is closing it up. But I’m now a big star on TikTok ... We’re not doing anything with TikTok, but the other side is going to close it up."