The Chinese online population is soon to eclipse America’s and currently stands at well over 170 million. A new report indicates that the Chinese are far more politically aware than many Americans:
The report, “China and the U.S. in a Web 2.0 World,” also reveals that nearly half of all Chinese broadbanders ages 13 to 35 contribute something online in a typical month, compared to only about 15 percent of younger Americans. The Chinese are also more likely to publish a blog (40 percent to 13 percent), review a product (32 percent to 22 percent) and use chat rooms (45 percent to 16 percent).
Chinese youth also reported being more involved in community-based activities, and they are almost twice as likely as Americans to join communities built around content. Although more U.S. users still recommend things to family and friends (31 percent to 27 percent), the practice has declined 15 percent in the U.S. since 2006, when Netpop started its survey. According to Crandall, this reflects the dominance of younger, elite opinion-makers in the Chinese broadband market, versus more mainstream American users.