Chenyu Ni: Cats Across Borders: TikTok Refugees’ Cross-Cultural Adaptation on Rednote via #CatTax

<p dir="ltr">In January 2025, the US banned TikTok, leading millions of users to migrate to Rednote (Xiaohongshu) and call themselves “TikTok refugees.” This study investigates how the playful ritual of #CatTax (sharing cat photos to “pay tax”) enabled these migrants to adapt cross-culturally and reshape Rednote’s culture. Drawing on high-/low-context theory and social semiotics, and employing thematic and multimodal analyses of 200 top posts, the study shows how migrants used code-switching, emojis, and visual symbols (e.g., Chinese festival icons) to negotiate belonging. Cats served as cultural passports, helping users complete symbolic rites of passage into the Rednote community. Notably, adaptation was reciprocal: migrants not only integrated but also expanded #CatTax into broader “pet tax” practices, influencing locals to use English in their posts. These grassroots interactions suggest that everyday digital practices can transcend geopolitical divides and offer insights into building more peaceful global relations.</p>