With Shao-kai, we recently published a freedom of speech analysis of the Xiaohongshu Ban on the Verfassungsblog. In this piece, we argue that the Ban is constitutional problematic.
On December 4, 2025, Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior imposed a one-year ban on Xiaohongshu (Rednote), a Chinese social media platform, which has become an important source of everyday information, particularly for younger users in Taiwan. Invoking fraud-prevention concerns, the Ministry instructed the Taiwan Network Information Center to implement DNS Response Policy Zone blocking, which prevents the resolution of Xiaohongshu’s domain name. Taiwan’s approximately three million Xiaohongshu users can now access the platform only through VPNs, alternative DNS providers, or other circumvention methods.
The government’s decision to block access to the platform raises fundamental questions about platform governance in democracies: how should governments balance cybersecurity concerns with freedom of expression? These questions arise with particular intensity in Taiwan. Given cross-Strait tensions, digital platforms have become arenas for political influence operations. Regulatory intervention may possibly be justified. We argue, however, that Taiwan’s Xiaohongshu ban is constitutionally problematic. Rather than foreclosing access to an entire platform, the Taiwanese government should adopt targeted and proportionate measures, such as implementing shorter suspension periods with clear compliance benchmarks that allow the company to remedy deficiencies.
Please read here: Taiwan’s Xiaohongshu Ban and Freedom of Expression
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