I mean, the company happens to be Chinese but I don't think that's why anyone is using it. The "little red book" app was a flash in the pan because it was hyped

I mean, the company happens to be Chinese but I don't think that's why anyone is using it. The "little red book" app was a flash in the pan because it was hyped as a successor, but the download charts are ephemeral. The reason that TikTok is winning is because it is a superior app in pretty much every way to its competitors (reels or shorts). The UI is clean and simple for producers and consumers, the interactions are all well done, and most of all, the content is all there, with some cross-posted to the others but mostly for larger channels that can afford to invest in boosting their reach. You can bemoan its addictiveness or whatever, but don't pretend that it's a bad app that people use because they are desperate for Chinese propaganda. It's so much better that the US government is actively trying to kill it so that the domestic alternatives have a chance.