Penetration of using web based social media in Indonesia is very quick. Likely supported by the information technology development and competitive market of telecommunication services.. Now blackberry and blackberry messenger is everyone cellphone in Jawa island and it’s spread to another island quickly. Mostly used for communication, entertainments and leisure. Indonesia is an open market for cellular phones and its technology. Some expert had said that before book culture establish in Indonesia (reading habits), come television’s culture (watching habits), and followed by internet’s culture (social media’s connection). Nano technology contributed to these changes. I can say that internet in Indonesia still used by some people at some places, not a common’s culture.
I will tell the other story from other side of Asia. China. Here no facebook, no twitter (except you use some proxy firewall). Government watchs and protects China’s cyber world. Its hard to find western based’ Youtube, Facebook, or Twitter. Alternatively some entrepreneurs build china’s based sharing media as Baidu, Youku, Soku, Sina Weibo, Tencent QQ and so on. They are hot products that it shares sold at stock market. The population and economic growth is a powerful advantage for IT’s development and market..
Last time, I proudly join Koprol as Indonesian social media. I use it to make a friend and socialize with others in my city. Unfortunately it “eaten” by Yahoo! Corporation and I don’t now how is Koprol for next years.
By make a barrier for the entry of Youtube, Google, Twitter and Facebook. China developed their social media with the Chinese characteristics. QQ from Tencent corporation for example, is a most popular social media. I can say it used by every one. It like Yahoo! Messenger but enhanced by facebook’ like interface. Sina Weibo is a popular microblog site that grows bigger. Some popular people, even a Director of World Bank; Christiaan Lagarde, make a Sina Weibo account to appeal Chinese people (and government, perhaps). Some positive quotes from Sina Weibo or QQ often published in printed media.
I will talk about QQ, the first Chinese Social Media I know. Don’t worry to use it for the first time. They have English version of software, called QQ International. I use it for the first time to connect with my teachers and friends in China. With QQ also can make friends with all of Chinese all over the world. Some expatriate in China make a groups in QQ based on countries or interests. At QQ we can chat by Chinese or other languages. There is a simple translator attached within this program.
QQ used by a shopkeeper to keep contacts with his/her costumers, also by the teacher with his or her students. Many enterprises use QQ as relation’s services to their costumers. I can say that QQ is a part of Chinese IT culture in practice. Its unique beep always heard everywhere from cellphone, tablets, PC or laptops. We are Indonesian miss it. Our IT culture has not build in yet. We just use, use, and use another people technology (read American) without any innovation or invention. Our government’ will to IT culture still questionable. If we don’t prepare for IT Development at the future. We will be consumers of IT for our entire life. Give our money to facebook, youtube, or twitter. China and India take benefit from IT development. When Indonesia take a part ?
Wuhan, 2012/9/9