Twitter phenomenon!
Most of us in Singapore have not caught the Twitter fever yet, but our Western and Japanese counterparts have. Twitter is the current ‘fad’. It’s Facebook for stalkers, or well, just plain bored people who love to update about their lives! Guiltily, I have a twitter account too. However, I use it to keep track of the going-ons with my closer friends. It’s so hassle-free. All each individual has to do, is just enter whatever they are thinking or doing (just like a blog) and everyone who ‘follows’ them can read their updates. It’s way easier than filtering through Facebook since it’s like a social ‘newspaper’.
Before I sound like an advertisement for Twitter, I shall continue on how pervasive a medium Twitter has become! Unlike Facebook, Twitter allows businesses to go actively virtual. Physical shops from brands like Juicy Couture have taken extra lengths to create an active Twitter account which updates followers on their instore sales or inside news. Politicians are also starting to use Twitter, recognising its widespread and efficient way of spreading news.
[Image from: The First Post]
For example, in August 2009, when President Obama’s opponents slammed the British National Health Service (NHS), thousands of NHS users took to Twitter to show their support for the NHS with the hashtag #welovetheNHS. The Twitter campaign gained so much media attention, that it even received the support of British PM Gordon Brown.
Twitter users are able to be constantly updated on almost anything they want: from world news to gossip to their friends’ activities). One amazing thing I noticed was when celebrity blogger Perez Hilton ‘tweeted’ that he was at the Harajuku station in Tokyo for the Summer Sonic Festival, calling for any of his twitter followers to meet him there. I laughed at it at first, thinking how ridiculous that was! Within an hour, he had photographic evidence of his Tokyo fanbase. How amazing is that??
Not just for Twitter, our reliance on technology has increased over the decades. Twitter is but one small example of how society has allowed the ‘Web 2.0′ phenomenon take over our lives. Almost everything we need to know and do can be virtually done on the internet. Need to know what your friends are into nowadays? Check your Twitter. Want to chat with your friends? Log in to MSN. Don’t know how to dance? Google it.
Even our assignment is in the form of a blog! Power to the internet medium!
November 1, 2009 at 4:22 pm |
I HATE TWITTER! It’s Facebook without the games!!!
Seriously, do we need yet another platform? How many social networking sites do we need to keep in touch with friends? How many different sites do we need to master and sign up for? I may be old fashioned, but I much prefer the conventional face to face chit chats.
November 2, 2009 at 4:18 pm |
I agree with you! i think twitter and those of its kind is a must in today’s society. Its a way to keep ourselves in the know regarding our friends and family. Besides, now a days, its not uncommon to have good friends who are half way arnd the world. Most of my friends have either migrated or are studying abroad. Twitter makes it so much more convenient and not to mention cheaper, to keep in touch with them.
Having said that, social networking websites like every other advant in technology, has its downsides. Abusers of these websites use them to stalk or sometimes torment their “friends”. Keeping this in mind, I think users should keep their “following” in check, in the event that it slips to the side it “stalker” instead of just being kpo. =D
November 7, 2009 at 2:34 am |
Twitter has combined the effects of blog and facebook together. It allows people to leave a message everywhere they go, and also enables easy access for everyone who wants to view it, just by following or you can call it ‘stalking’ the user.
The evolution from friendster to facebook and now to twitter has already shown that the internet is capable of fusing everyone together on a virtual link! Who knows, there might be a new ‘in’ thing coming up soon and you can see everyone rushing to sign up for it, since it does not burn a hole in your wallet!
November 8, 2009 at 1:52 am |
Twitter and other social networking sites such as Facebook has become such an essential part of many of our lives it is scary to think about how dependent we are on them. This does not just apply to networking sites, but the internet in general.
November 8, 2009 at 1:30 pm |
i agree with you that we are becoming more and more reliant on the internet nowadays. which is why politicians, and businessmen are using social networking sites such as twitter to speak to its audience, especially at the younger generation who are tech savvy. it was also proven that election campaigns such as the recent US presidency, appealed to the younger audience mainly through the internet as well.
the internet is a medium we cannot do without nowadays. even traditional media such as our local paper, the straits times” have gone on the internet to appeal and keep up with its subscribers’ needs. the internet being a powerful medium is important in today’s context, whether it is to socialize, or to meet needs.
November 8, 2009 at 4:03 pm |
I LOVE TWITTER!
it is straight-forward and keeps you updated of those around you. So what’s not to love? But on the other side, it may make us reliant on such mode to keep updated of each other’s lives that it may make us complacent in really n in touch.
November 8, 2009 at 5:00 pm |
I quit Twitter a year ago when I found Plurk (to me it’s an upgrade of Twitter since it’s more immediate and allow more privacy).
But with it’s rising popularity with all the celebrities twittering and all, I can’t help but joined back the bandwagon yesterday!
The new media is one of the most impactful medium. I mean think about it, since when did “Twitter” and “Plurk” or “Google” – all nouns – became verbs?!!