China’s internet regulator said on Thursday it had ordered “warnings and strict punishment” to bosses at popular social media app Xiaohongshu over its online content, slamming “trivial” and “negative” posts.

A statement from the Cyberspace Administration of China said “responsible individuals” at the Instagram-like platform would be punished after Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in English, failed to “fulfil its main responsibility of content management”. It gave no details of the punishments.

The statement criticised Xiaohongshu for hosting “numerous posts hyping celebrities’ personal dynamics and trivial matters and other negative content frequently populating the hot search list”.

“A clear, clean and healthy cyberspace aligns with the interests of the people,” it added. Xiaohongshu was launched in Shanghai in 2013 and has hundreds of millions of monthly active users.

It translates literally to Little Red Book, but is not a reference to Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s book of quotations.

Unlike TikTok’s sister app Douyin or the micro-blogging site Weibo, Xiaohongshu leans heavily towards apolitical content such as lifestyle, travel, beauty and food topics.

Xiaohongshu’s “Explore” page is similar to TikTok’s “For You” page – both curated by an algorithm that suggests content based on users’ interests and interactions on the platforms.

It is also an online marketplace similar to TikTok Shop, where users can directly buy items including clothing, make-up and accessories.

It is seen as relatively less censored than other platforms: users can be found posting LGBTQ content and discussing the merits of women remaining single, topics often considered sensitive in China.

Xiaohongshu has also popularised “da ka”, or “check-in” tourism, where travellers plan itineraries around scenic or trending spots specifically to take photos for social media. And similar to Instagram and TikTok, the platform has also become a hub for influencers endorsing sponsored products.