Xiao Hong Shu, the popular social media app that we wrote about earlier, disappeared from major Chinese app stores. Current users of the app, as well as iPhone users, are not affected by the decision. However, reportedly the app will also be taken out of the Apple Appstore soon.
The company, currently valued at $3 billion with an active user base exceeding 85 million people, was founded in 2013. In this short period it has become a widely popular app for fashion and beauty products. The platform not only attracts Chinese people, but also international celebrities. Xiao Hong Shu’s users are able to share, review and comment on content, including products. When people are interested, they have an option to purchase the products directly from the platform.
The reason behind the take down is unclear. Although state-backed newspaper Global Times writes that the problem may be related to falsified posts to increase product sales. The newspaper mentions that the company is currently in talks with relevant departments to reach a solution.
The decision has become a hot topic on the Chinese internet. Multiple people and platforms are questioning if this is the end of Xiao Hong Shu. Rumors have been spread that another reason for the take down is that the platform contained various adult content, which is illegal in China.
The real motive behind the decision is unclear, but it’s obvious that it will have a huge impact on the platform. This is one of many examples that show how important it is to comply to Chinese guidelines. The guidelines can be vastly different than what we are used to, but our experts are just a click away!
