In the West, the Internet started with users in business, academia and government, mostly fulfilling utilitarian needs. In contrast, Internet usage in China stemmed from a consumer phenomenon, focused on entertainment and communications. Most Western media coverage of Internet usage in China focuses on the narrative of censorship and control, missing the vibrant social nature of the largest internet market in the world.

Like many other countries, one of the hottest areas of Internet growth in China is in social media. While American companies like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter dominate Western markets, many of China’s 300 million Internet users are gravitating toward home-grown sites such as Youku for video sharing, QQ for social networking, Xiaonei, Kaixin001 and others. China is currently dominated by these large domestic social networking sites (SNS), while foreign players have been entering the market with less success.

Apart from the issue of government censorship, the failure of most foreign SNS in China is probably due in large part to a lack of proper localization for the Chinese market. Chinese users approach online social networking differently than Western users. In order to stand a chance against Chinese competitors, foreign social networking companies should take the time to understand these differences and adapt their sites appropriately.

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