Shortly after submitting last week’s column I read a “Blondie” comic strip that was very timely. Dagwood asks his son how things are going with his girlfriend. The son replies, “We’re having communications difficulties! She keep telling me to call her or post something sweet on Twitter or Facebook! But I’s much rather just text her...” If you read last week’s column you know what texting is, but do you know about Twitter and Facebook?
The word twitter was originally a verb used in conjunction with bird chirping sounds. The modern use of Twitter, however, is a noun that refers to a “real-time information network” that allows anyone to send and receive short (140 characters maximum), bite-sized bits of information, called tweets. It is a way to quickly discover news about subjects and people of interest, and to share your ideas, comments and thoughts with others.
Before you can use Twitter, you need to create a free Twitter account by visiting the Twitter website (www.twitter.com), or by using the Twitter app on your smartphone. Once you have an account, you can sign up to follow the tweets sent by people or organizations that interest you. Messages from the accounts you are following will appear in a readable list on the Twitter homepage on your computer, or on the Twitter app on your smartphone. Instead of sending emails or text messages to a long list of people, you can send one message to your Twitter account, and the service distributes it to all your followers. Twitter users can organize impromptu gatherings, conduct group conversations, or just send up a quick update to let people know the latest updates or activities.
What are some real world examples of Twitter use? First, imagine that you are listening to a news show on the radio, such as the Diane Rhem show on NPR. Every morning the host, Diane Rhem, covers one current, newsworthy topic. During the show Diane Rehm invites listener questions and comments by telephone, Facebook and Twitter. If you find yourself talking to the radio in response to something you hear, now you can send a tweet instead.
Second, image that you belong to a the TR Bicycle Club and you find a route that you think would make a good ride for the club. Send out a tweet to the club members, who have registered with Twitter, and find out what they think before actually planning the ride. In another example, you have a close group of friends who follow each others’ tweets. You are taking a walk at TR and decide to head over to the Snack Shack for lunch. Send out a tweet on your mobile phone, and see if any of your friends want to join you. Finally, there is a celebrity or public figure who you really like. Sign up to follow them on Twitter and you will be privy to their constant tweets — or at least the Tweets posted by their publicist or press secretary.
Using Twitter isn’t for everyone, but it does have some real-world applications that are worthwhile. A recent article in the New York Times highlighted methods of dealing with flight cancellations after the December blizzard in the Northeast. People who followed their airline’s tweets had a much better chance of being rebooked then those who relied on the telephone and airline personnel. Following airline tweets was not something I have done in the past, but next time we fly, I am going to sign up and follow the airline on Twitter!
Remember that tweets can also be immediate responses to events or thoughts. There have been recent reports of individuals in both politics and sports (as well as elsewhere), that have gotten themselves in “hot water” because of instant comments posted via twitter. Sometimes a little reflection, aka time, is a required filter than an immediate response.
If you want find out more about Twitter and how to use it, check out the Twitter Help Center at http://support.twitter.com/entries/13920-frequently-asked-questions. And if you are not interested in using Twitter, at least you have a frame of reference the next time you hear someone mention it on television — or when you are talking to your grandkids!
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