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”.
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.
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.
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”
I’ve never tweeted but I do chirp on occasion.
Have never tweeted. Am not a twit.
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.
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.
Nor I
Agreed. I have to get past my urge to be helpful when the help probably isn’t desired.
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.
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.
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?
Somewhere, there is The One True Doper who just can’t be on the board because he doesn’t believe in electricity.
Perhaps if you read the thread you just posted in.
That might be a start:o
“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?
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.
I don’t understand why people want to exist. Seriously, there is no point to and most people who do are stupid and annoying.