Fallows_Deborah---What has China earthquake done to its internet?

What has China’s earthquake done to its internet? What have we seen and what should we look for? Chinese Internet Research Conference Hong Kong, June 13, 2008 Deborah Fallows, Pew Internet Project

China’s internet: two old myths and a new reality
Myth: China’s internet is all about entertainment
New Reality: China’s internet is about much, much more, as revealed by the earthquake
Myth #2: China’s internet users chafe under internet control and management.
New Reality: Could the old myth become true, in a new online world triggered by the earthquake?

A work in progress, in 3 parts:
From the moment the earthquake occurred, what have we noticed about the Chinese internet?
What can we learn from the American internet experience after the events of Sept. 11?
What should we look for on the Chinese internet over the next year?

How did China’s internet respond to the earthquake?
Immediate and first response: with news, information, and comments
Unique aggregator of content: photos, info, comments
New applications: built-to-order for this event (searching, locating, connecting, donating)
Humanizer: People-to-people, people-to-places, people-to-helping

What were the voice and tone of the post-earthquake internet
A more unified voice (of shock)
A more humane tone: more tempered, less strident and cynical
More spiritual/religious
Powerfully shocking through images and videos
Unedited, less censored?

Other internet moments
3 minutes of internet silence. (Google search goes dark)
Reported arrests of 17 internet users spreading “false rumors”
Attack on the selfish “why is this such a big deal” blogger
Real-time, online-video of long-distance wedding
Self-congratulatory, then quick self-criticism on twitter

What do these observations say about the state of the Chinese internet?
Energy spent on value: immediacy, connections, collections, creativity, new knowledge
Displayed maturity: users did all these things instinctively, quickly, generously
Moment of validation?

Post-shock return to “normal”
Regained footing of various voices
First to ask the hard questions, make critical comments
The dark side: Looking to make a buck
Fun gone, then returned

American internet immediately after Sept. 11
A supplement, not a substitute: most go to TV (usership down 10% Sept. 11, 17% first week)
Use: Pushing out the tragedy experience. Use up in looking for news, IM, gov websites, charities and donations, online communities
Content: Event dominated the online content
Voice: Telling the story together: new “online journalists” and beefing up the commons

American internet 6 months after Sept. 11
Changed habits, interests, and tone:
more users going online for news
more interest in gov/politics
more community participation
more spiritual expression
everything else returned to normal

Will there be lasting effects of the earthquake on China’s internet?
Did the earthquake trigger a “breakthrough moment” for China’s internet?
Will changes during the earthquake time make for new habits, interests, a different tone?
Will there be a change in people’s attitudes toward the internet?
Will there be a change in government oversight of the internet?

Case Study: China’s internet controls. What do users think?
Data points: >80% of China’s internet users think the internet should be managed or controlled; almost 85% think the government should be responsible for controls
Reasons: Distrust online content. Anxiety over bad influences from the internet, especially for children. Accustomed to government being the controller

How to look for lasting effects (And revisit the old myths)
Look for differences in online behavior and voice (more people trying to push more?)
Look for government reactions (online control, offline regulations)
Watch media reporting about the internet
Ask the survey questions again

Keep this in mind, and let’s talk next year.
Thank you
Deborah Fallows
[email_address]
www.Pewinternet.org

Fallows_Deborah---What has China earthquake done to its internet?

by Chinese Internet Research Conference on Jun 22, 2008

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