# I've never tweeted **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 10, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669 "2016-02-10T01:28:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/61 "2016-02-11T03:13:01Z")
Tell me - how many times has the “Internet of Things is a Boon to Spies” story been re-tweeted? How many spooks have the ability to trace a tweet from one to everyone who receives it? I see kids walking home from school in small knots, just like always. But they do not talk to each other - each has her/his nose buried in a phone. It is a most bizarre ritual. I would not be surprised if they ended up chatting with each other - but not in person - only via “social media”. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/62 "2016-02-11T05:19:35Z")
Five years ago I thought I’d finally give social media a try, so signed up on both Facebook and Twitter at the same time. I immediately disliked Facebook, it felt so much like a crowded space, it was a horrible couple of weeks before I cancelled my account. But inversely, I immediately liked Twitter, it was at a pace and content level that I felt was comfortably under my control, and the people I followed in that first few weeks, most of whom I still follow, were funny and frequent, and because it was early days there was a higher chance they’d actually read my responses to them - I got a lot of RTs and replies from them back then. I have almost 200 followers. I’d have more if I didn’t actively block tweetbots and spammers. Most of the people who follow me liked one or two things I said once that somehow ended up in their feed, probably the aforementioned retweets from celebs, and if they seem like decent or amusing people I’ll follow them back. And I’ve kept up with some friends who I would otherwise have lost contact with entirely. I try to be funny as much as I can. I really appreciate the brevity I am constrained by to make what I say still make sense in such a small space. And it’s great for keeping track of the zeitgeist. Usually if I see some mention of something there, I’ll then go to places like the SDMB or other news sites I’m signed onto to flesh out the facts or contribute to the discussion. It’s a unique form of social media, and as such is not for everyone. Don’t feel too bad about not participating, but I urge you not to dismiss it as silly or vapid, there’s a very good reason why TV shows have hashtags in the corner of the screen, or why the News will discuss what somebody tweeted. Twitter has significance. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/63 "2016-02-11T16:37:49Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > or why the News will discuss what somebody tweeted. Oh gawd this is the worstest. I’ll be watching the news and the anchors will say, “And Joe Dipshit on twitter said, ‘I like frogs.’” Who the hell cares what Joe Dipshit has to say. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/64 "2016-02-11T16:47:14Z")
I get irrationally bothered when the news people talk about tweets or twitter. I feel like they’re just shilling for a private company (I assume there is a company behind twitter). And reading tweets from famous people or simply viewers is not news. I can’t even stand “Our next guest is John Johnson, follow John on twitter @stupidtweeter.com” ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/65 "2016-02-11T18:03:56Z")
I’ve never tweeted but I do chirp on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/66 "2016-02-11T18:17:11Z")
Have never tweeted. Am not a twit. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/67 "2016-02-12T01:54:24Z")
I listened to a news article this morning - probably on NPR - concerning Twitters business woes because the user base isn’t growing fast enough to suit Wall Street. I can’t see a way past the more users, the more tweets; the more tweets, the harder it is to notice something of particular interest. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/68 "2016-02-12T06:58:05Z")
I don’t know if I would’ve ever joined Twitter if my boss hadn’t required me to do so. I mostly use my account to play hashtag games. I find the challenge enthralling. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/69 "2016-02-12T12:08:50Z")
Nor I ---
**Author:** ![HelenTroy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helentroy/32/86_2.png) [@HelenTroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenTroy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/70 "2016-02-12T12:27:00Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > Ask the Twitter expert might be interesting, but judging by the number of posters in every “why do people text???” thread who seem to willfully ignore the responses that explain there are many things people could be doing on their phones besides texting, I’m not sure it would help much. Agreed. I have to get past my urge to be helpful when the help probably isn’t desired. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/71 "2016-02-12T12:31:02Z")
I have approx 70,000 tweets on my personal a/c. The format has got worse and worse over the last couple of years. I also have a semi-professional a/c that has over 6000 followers. Twitter is not as fun or as engaging as it once was but it is still way better than Facebook which I only joined in July in an attempt to promote my first book. ---
**Author:** ![HelenTroy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helentroy/32/86_2.png) [@HelenTroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenTroy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/72 "2016-02-12T12:31:38Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Do the same thing but include one or more mentions, the ‘@’ character followed immediately by another users account name, then those mentioned plus your followers will see it. This part isn’t exactly true. If your tweet starts with @UN, only people who follow you _and_ that person will see it which is why you will often see people place a period in front of a UN (User Name). Example! @UN should join me in seeing #Deadpool this weekend. VS . @UN should join me in seeing #Deadpool this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/73 "2016-02-12T14:01:03Z")
I’ve never tweeted. Guess I don’t understand its utility or importance. Perhaps someone more familiar with its functions can explain what I’m missing out on? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/74 "2016-02-12T14:37:02Z")
Somewhere, there is The One True Doper who just can’t be on the board because he doesn’t believe in electricity. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/75 "2016-02-12T14:45:09Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > I’ve never tweeted. Guess I don’t understand its utility or importance. > Perhaps someone more familiar with its functions can explain what I’m missing out on? Perhaps if you read the thread you just posted in. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/76 "2016-02-12T14:48:47Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Perhaps if you read the thread you just posted in. That might be a start:o ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/77 "2016-02-12T16:07:18Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Somewhere, there is The One True Doper who just can’t be on the board because he doesn’t believe in electricity. “Clothing?? I just don’t get the point. Why would you need anything more than animal skins?” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/78 "2016-02-12T16:51:04Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > “Clothing?? I just don’t get the point. Why would you need anything more than animal skins?” What’s with this breathing air and walking on land stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/79 "2016-02-12T16:56:00Z")
I’ve found that it’s a great tool for professionals that make things for consumers. If you make books, games, videos, art, anything that you present directly to the masses, it helps a bunch to have a twitter account. Not only is it just so that you have visibility to people who want to purchase your things, it’s so you have visibility to other professionals in your field. It’s networking. I’ve heard time and time again, “Oh yeah, (company) saw what I was doing on twitter and sent me a direct message about hiring me to work on (their next project)”. If you’re not someone with something to market, it’s a good tool to do the opposite and follow people with things that interest you. Celebrities, authors, artists, they’re all on twitter. By following them you create a personalized feed of things you like to see. Insights into filming movie X. Art from your favorite artist Y. Jokes about characters from book Z. Useful for “Fandom”, in short. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669/80 "2016-02-12T16:58:17Z")
I don’t understand why people want to exist. Seriously, there is no point to and most people who do are stupid and annoying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-never-tweeted/745669.md?page=5)