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While preparing a presentation on the Chinese Internet users, I started to reflect on the Internet surfing behavior of my work colleagues (they have a medium age of 24 years) and my observations on how the Internet is changing their lives here in China. Thought you be interested in my general insights:

• Will never read a newspaper but are attracted to some magazines (more true for the Chinese female)
• Will never own a land-line phone (and maybe not even a watch)
• Will never buy music or software
• Will trust unknown peers more than experts (thus the propensity for social networking sites for information gathering)
• Believe that they can make lasting ‘virtual friends’ or find love on the Internet
• Little interest in the source of information and most information is aggregated through RSS and BBS sites
• Social Communities are at the center of their Internet experience
• Appear uninterested in advertising but they are highly sensitive to  “Brand messages” particularity in lifestyle related areas
• Everything is moving to mobile (even faster now China is adopting 3G)
• Television does not feature highly in their relaxation time
• Want to relax through escaping into virtual gaming environments and into chat forums
• Want to be heard (user generated) and want to engage (communities, BBS)
• Use IM (mostly QQ but will trend towards using micro-blogging). Think e-mail is for Westerners

UPDATE: There was widespread discussion and chatter on this post (not just in my office) but among some twitter fans. I would like to add a few new observations brought by others to this list.

• Will make more online purchases and in a far wider range of products and services
• Sees  the Internet as an all round entertainment platform (from watching videos, listening to music and playing multi-player games)

What are your observations… What have I missed? If you think of anything or even disagree then please post a comment below or bring it into the twitter world: @sinotechian