China has experienced rapid growth in internet and technology in recent decades. There are now nearly 400 million internet users in China, growing by 10 million per month, who engage heavily in social media and online activities like blogging, instant messaging, and gaming. While social media is strictly censored by the government, bulletin board systems (BBS) have become very popular as a heart of social media in China, allowing sharing of images, videos and content online through sites like QQ in an anonymous format. BBS sites help information spread through word of mouth and are linked to Chinese equivalents of Facebook and YouTube, showing how China's internet is revolutionizing while developing its own models and systems.

1. China And its Internet Revolution

3. Only in the past few decades has China been able to Attempt to reclaim its glory in the industrial and technological world

4. Through rapid industrialization and development, China is on its way to being a world superpower.

5. “ Everything that happens in the West is happening on steroids in China,” – Sam Flemming, Founder of CIC in Shanghai Image by VioletInk, Flickr

6. As you would have guessed... This change is happening to China’s social networks Image by Black Cloud Imagery

7. Today, there are nearly 400 million internet users in China Source: Internet World Stats China 2010 And the number is growing by 10 million every month! Image Source: Microsoft Office Clip Art

8. Compared to the US , which only has 240 million users... Image Source: Microsoft Office Clip Art Source: Internet World Stats USA 2010

9. China has a great potential for growth.

11. And Yes, Are all censored in China. Source: Merritt Colaizzi, Social Media in China

12. So how is social media growing so much? Image Source: QuoinMonkey, Flickr

13. Enter: BBS (Bulletin Board System) China’s Heart of Social Media. Image Source: QQ website

14. BBS sites such as: Allow users to upload images , videos , and more on an anonymous forum. Image Source: 51 website Image Source: QQ website

15. Information is circulated essentially Through word of mouth. Image Source: J-P De Clerck

16. Similar to our Social Media, BBS sites are linked to numerous Chinese equivalent sites like Facebook and Youtube . Image Source: Ogilvy China

17. These equivalent sites are quite different than their counterparts. Image Source: Pulsarwallpapers

18. BBS is becoming so popular, Most sites have created virtual currency so users can trade online content.

19. Now, Tencent is an example to the West… Of how to Monetize Social Media. Image Source: Ad Solver Blog

20. China’s technological capabilities are rapidly growing And the Chinese people are embracing every aspect. Pretty soon the Western world will be the one struggling to keep up…