How Twitter Will Change The Way We Live
By Steven Johnson
Twitter is definitely the newest and most sought after type of social media in our world today. It is a simple idea based around a status update of 140 characters informing your friends and followers of the on-going, real time, adventures taking place in each users life. This article suggests that when it was first introduced people thought it was an unnecessary waste of time. Who cares what insignificant task you are currently doing? Why should your friends be informed of every little thing going on in your life? But since its creation, the growth of Twitter has been hugely successful and with it new ideas have come about.
TIME Magazine’s Steven Johnson tells the story of the first time he ever witnessed Twitter being used for more than just a social tool. He was able to experience a Twitter conversation, which had originally just been held between a few members of a conference, grow into a massive discussion. He watched live as people from all over the world entered the topic and shared their thoughts and opinions. Twitter was now being used as a tool to encourage live chat and added a second layer of informants.
The user friendly, social networking tool that twitter is, has made itself useful in ways that many would never have imagined. You are continually updated on everything taking place in the lives of those you follow. The information you receive may or may not be of any concern to you but, it is true that there is something, or someone, of interest to everyone on Twitter, whether it be world wide news or if you are just curious to know what your favorite celebrities are doing at the moment.
The most amazing thing I realized while reading this article was just how much of twitter was created by third party twitter users. Both the #hash tag and the @sign tagging feature were created after Twitter users began including them in their Tweets. Similar to this, mobile networks created their own applications to allow their costumers to access twitter from cell phones. It will be very interesting to see just how Twitter will impact our lives over the next 5 or 10 years.
How Facebook Is Taking Over Our Lives
By Jessi Hempel
The most obvious appeal to face book is the social networking behind it. Thanks to this genius web site, users can contact and stay informed in the lives of basically anyone and everyone who has access to the internet. The target audience for the site when it was first created was college students, ages 18 to 24, but these days, that group is just a minority on the site.
It is truly an addiction to some people. You log on with the intention to check your notifications and you end up stalking an ex, scrolling through pictures or updating statuses. Facebook allows you to live your life virtually.
The problem now faced by Facebook founder, Mark Zurkerberg is how to increase his users along with satisfying the original users. To do so he has combined forces with founders and operators of other members of the big seven such as Sheryl Sandberg from Google and Gideon Yu from YouTube. The fact that the CEO of Facebook is such a young and brilliant man is interesting. There is so much potential for him and for the site but no one has any clue what he will do with it.
Annie,
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis of Twitter! I underestimate the power of Twitter personally and I am working on getting into the swing of things. The # and @ are genus in involving others that you know and getting attention to your own blog! Do you think that there should be more interaction with Facebook? Personally I would love if they would coincide better. Do you use Twitter more? Also do you think that if Twitter were more graphic or visual it would gain more popularity, like Facebook?
Annie, I agree with Felica, that was a great to the point, non-confusing analysis of twitter. I hate trying to explain it to people who have no idea what a hashtag is, I always feel like it seems so confusing to those who haven't used it yet! I like that you mentioned that people thought twitter was useless at first, so did I when I first signed up, and now I can't get enough,& I hear the same things from other twitter users. Loved your analysis you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteaha I liked your comment about having good intentions entering facebook but eventually stocking an ex...too true! Well written. -tanner
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that the @ and # were user-created. That's brilliant. Good analysis of both articles. I really like what the second article says about logging in to FB just to check a message and ending up looking at someone's baby pictures. It's SO true. Maybe we should start doing product placement in our wedding/family/baby pictures or something and subconsciously market that way? :)
ReplyDeleteI never really thought about the Business side of twitter before, I was always the type that didn't care to stay updated with whatever the celebrities were doing. But not I can see why it may be important for some people. Also, this doesn't really mean anything but I find it funny that the founder of YouTube has the last name of Yu.
ReplyDeleteI think Facebook is a brilliant idea. However, to some, it can be an addiction. People should know how to exert self-control when using Facebook so that it does not disrupt their social lives. I personally like to use Facebook to connect with my friends. It is amusing to know that some people can just sit in front of the computer all day "Facebook-ing".
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
ReplyDeleteSImilar to others responses but I didn't know either that the @ symbol and the hash tag were user created!
-Bryce