When a young person in Toronto, Nairobi, or Jakarta goes online to check out what their friends are up to, they’re probably logging onto Facebook. But this may not be the case. Although, in North America, Facebook has captured both the social network market and cultural zeitgeist, it is not the only option out there.
Whether it’s thanks to linguistic and cultural differences, or simply a government blocking select foreign websites, the planet is dotted with unique social networks and media, often unheard of beyond borders — with some exceptions being stalwart users in the University of Toronto community.
When social lives are increasingly driven and defined by online activity and communication, these distinct, yet oddly familiar websites almost present an alternative digital reality. In the face of cultural globalization, it’s heartening that even if a person halfway around the world is accessible in a few clicks, not everyone uses those clicks in the exact same way.
China – Ren Ren
Referring to Ren Ren as “Chinese Facebook” isn’t necessarily oversimplifying or diminishing it — that’s literally what it is. From profiles to the newsfeed, the site almost completely resembles the layout of Facebook. Even if you’re Mandarin-illiterate and not trying to keep in touch with friends in Beijing, you’ve probably already seen Ren Ren. Much like with Facebook, it’s a common sight to see a student logging onto Ren Ren in the middle of a Sid Smith lecture hall.
Ren Ren owes its Facebook-aping interface to the twin factors of laissez-faire copyright law enforcement, and the fact that Facebook has been blocked in China by the so-called “Great Fire Wall” since May 2009.
Founded in 2005 by graduates of Beijing’s prestigious Qinghua University and the perhaps slightly less esteemed University of Delaware, the network was originally called Xiaonei, referring to its nature as an internal network for University campuses. In 2009, the name was changed to Ren Ren, “ren” being Mandarin for people, and thus implying a network open to all. Although Ren Ren users are still generally college-age or younger, the network has undergone massive growth and now reportedly hosts 160 million users.
France & Russia – Badoo
Badoo is not the most popular social network — but it is arguably the sketchiest. Headquartered in London, owned by a corporation in Cyprus, and ultimately linked back to a Russian owner, the site has been accused of having some of the laxest privacy and security settings in the field. The site earns its keep by having members pay to have their profiles briefly posted on the homepage.
The result is a disquietingly sleazy combination of a dating site and social network. Badoo is mostly popular in South America and Europe, especially France and Russia. Visiting the homepage reveals a checkerboard proudly declaring 110 million users have signed on, as well as the profiles of users in the general geographic area. Apparently Badoo does have some users in Canada, one boldly declaring that he’s looking to “Smoke a fat joint with a girl, age 18-25.” Perhaps there’s a reason for Facebook’s popularity after all…
South Korea – Cyworld
“When I was in Grade 7 or 8 I really wanted a Cyworld,” laments literary studies major Janet Son. “But I tried to sign up and discovered that I needed a South Korean government identification number. I don’t have Korean citizenship, so I couldn’t get it.” Such is the heartbreak caused by social network and blog hub Cyworld. Though it may not possess as many users as other networks (it’s in the neighborhood of 20 million), Cyworld manages to sustain itself by selling digital goods used to decorate users’ online rooms.
The site’s graphic design aesthetic is perhaps overwhelming, hemmed by advertisements, and controlled by the whims of users. The network ambitiously expanded into North America in 2006, believing the market ripe for a takeover, but had to retreat and shut down its operations there two years later.
Accordingly, the number of users on Cyworld has declined somewhat in recent years, but it remains popular, and retains a foothold in Toronto: The University of Toronto Korean Commerce Community club keeps in touch with its members both through a Facebook group page and also with an exclusive club page on Cyworld.
Brazil & India – Orkut
Orkut Büyükkökten’s parents must be proud. Not only did the Turkish software engineer invent Google’s social network, he also got it named after him. Orkut, the man notwithstanding, is an intriguing entity, barely known even where Google is ubiquitous, yet highly popular elsewhere, namely in Brazil and India.
Out of roughly 100 million Orkut users, Google reports that around half are in Brazil, with much of the remainder located in India, along with a smattering of users in Pakistan, Japan, and America. The numerical dominance of Brazil and India emerged organically, with the site initially registering far more users in America. But now Orkut works hard to promote itself in these strongholds, both re-designing special headers to celebrate Carnival in Brazil and offering giveaways for tickets to film screenings in Mumbai. Orkut’s predominance in Brazil seems to be waning somewhat due to Facebook’s encroachment, but the site does offer unique features for a social network, such as video chatting available thanks to Google technology.
The Chinese Underdogs – Weibo & Douban
Thanks to its potential for political use (dissenting artist Ai Wei Wei was an early adopter), Twitter has also been blocked in China since 2009. But the format still proved hugely popular, leading to a flurry of imitatos, frequently shut down or edited when tensions rise. For the moment, Weibo, run by Sina (the country’s largest web portal) is the most popular. In fact, it’s occasionally presented as a potential Twitter competitor. Weibo itself faces competition from a spin-off of QQ, a ubiquitous instant messaging service.
The slightly more bohemian Douban is far less popular than Ren Ren, but still widely used. The site presents a sort of Facebook-Amazon.com fusion. Users set up groups to share their love of the Velvet Underground, but can also search a database of books, CDs, and Criterion Collection-worthy DVDs. The site’s event pages serve an integral role promoting art exhibits, film screenings, and music festivals.
