“Did you ever think for a second that maybe I want to give them [China] my data?”
Until quite recently, America had a monopoly on cultural soft power, wherein the US exerted influence on other states through its exported media pop culture, food and drink, technological and other innovations, and business, otherwise known as ‘Americanisation’. This process began at the end of the Second World War, to counter the effects of communist ideology by presenting an image where capitalism meant freedom and glamour. The nuclear family, with its white picket fences and shiny Corvettes, starkly contrasts with the communal kitchens and the peasant production brigades of communist China during Mao’s Great Leap Forward. This nuclear family was heavily televised, with films such as “The Sound of Music” from the 60’s, perpetuating the idea of a ‘complete family’ and “The Donna Reed Show” airing from 1958 to 1966 showcasing the ideal middle-class family. American media gained traction because it was delightfully low-brow compared to ‘snobbier’ European film during the post-war era, ensuring its wide success by resonating with many people with its casual, but also luxe, simplicity. Over the years, American television has evolved, with kitschy reality shows, multitudes of films in superhero franchises, and remakes of classic books and stories, looking like the US had a monopoly on entertainment. However, TikTok, the Chinese-owned platform and the fast-food version of media, now dominates cultural discourse. Where the family home in many post-war American movies was a place to showcase attractive gadgets, furniture, and overall lifestyle that could be bought, TikTok has also become a place where trends are fleeting, with ‘aesthetics’ being marketed and sold.
Millions of users held their breath as the US proposed banning TikTok over national security threats and perceived dangers of Chinese influence. This was done with reference to the ‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act’, signed into law in 2024. Many TikTok users opted to download another Chinese-owned social networking and e-commerce platform, Xiaohongshu, which translates literally to “Little Red Book” – a nod to Mao Zedong’s quote book. American users and content creators, as well as non-American ones, flocked to the app, also known colloquially as ‘RedNote’, to maintain their TikTok-esque routine. This unexpected soft-power win for a country often considered as being unable to emulate the same attractiveness as the US, is huge. Has China beaten the US at its own game?
There is a general sentiment that China cannot replace the US in its global role, they both have differing aims and strategies, a complete apples and oranges situation. It is understood that the US does security and China does the economy, but that narrative, according to Jonathan Fulton, resident fellow at The Atlantic Council, needs to go. The general consensus is that China can never replace the US, but where people said that China would fall short, China has risen to the occasion. China has been seen recently as picking up the diplomatic mantle, calling for peace in Gaza. Additionally, China managed to broker an agreement between Iran and Saudi, two countries with long-existing tensions. Though China has repeatedly told US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan that China does not believe they are engaged in a battle for global supremacy, Biden called the US’s relationship with China a struggle to ‘win the 21st century’. Trump’s statements promise a crackdown on China, and after an unsuccessful attempt to ban TikTok, with Trump flying in to try and save the day, it looks as if there is a power struggle that only now is starting to look like a culture tussle.
Many outraged users took to their platforms to contest the talks of banning TikTok. The influencer Haley Kalil, also known by her Instagram tag @haleyybaylee, joked on Instagram that she didn’t care if China had her data: “Did you ever think for a second that maybe I want to give them my data?”. Many other accounts joined her in making fun of the republican administrators calling TikTok a national security threat by showing their ‘data’ on reels composed of ‘memes’, ‘thirst traps’ and examples of ‘brain rot’ content. Furthermore, it is worth noting that there is no actual evidence that TikTok has harvested data from users to use for intelligence or matters that can threaten the US’s national security. The push for keeping TikTok and the mass downloading of ‘RedNote’ that took place can potentially be seen as the beginnings of a potential soft-power shift.
Compared to the decline in liberal thought in the US, especially after the recent election and the Trumpisation of platforms such as X, the Chinese app represents a platform for free speech, showcasing the voices of the average person and the famous alike. This is ironic considering that internally, due to The Great Firewall, online discourse is greatly censored, not allowing for its netizens to share anything state critiquing in China. However, currently, China is rising in popularity, with China seemingly on the path to more soft power influence. This, coupled with its rise as a diplomatic mediator, could have us seeing the fall of Pax Americana and the potential beginnings of Pax Sinica.
