I've been a part of many discussions lately concerning the pros and cons of Twittering. For those of you who don't know what Twitter is, just "google" it. It's everywhere now. I even saw them talking about it on "Pardon The Interruption" which is my favorite show on ESPN. I guess many atheletes are now twittering. They are twittering from the bleachers/ locker rooms etc.... then my hubby said, "You know, they aren't even going to need the media anymore. They can get anything out to their fans directly this way." Interesing, huh?
I knew that many artists were doing it, along with many organizations. At first I didn't really "get" it. I felt a little self-absorbed doing it. Do people REALLY want to know what I'm doing/thinking all day long? But if you don't take it too seriously and just have fun with it, it truly becomes a way to stay in touch with your friends and know what's going on in their lives. Also, when you follow a news organization (i.e. Fox, CNN) you get news updates, or weather updates, or even travel information..... anything really. You have to just dig in and do it awhile before you truly see the benefits from it.....
One of the "cons" I have been faced with lately is using twitter as a means to gossip. The official twitter question is this: "What are you going right now?" That's what your tweet is supposed to be about. Granted, it becomes WAY more than that. You can say anything really. What you are doing, what you are thinking, HOW you are feeling, something funny you just saw, etc... you can even post "Hey guys, I'm playing a gig at such-and-such tonight. Come on out!" You can even add pictures that you want to share. Your tweets can be used for many, many things.. however, gossip should NOT be one of them. My firm belief is if someone isn't ON twitter, they should be off limits. Those of us who have joined the twitter world, obviously don't mind having most of our lives on display. I almost feel as if it's a good way of being held accountable for my actions. If I don't want to tell the world via twitter that I'm doing something, then I might want to re-think it. Maybe I shouldn't be doing it!! Ha!!
One other "pro" for me is that twitter sends my status right to my Facebook, Myspace, Reverb Nation AND my blogspot, so it saves me time. I don't have to be checking in to all those sites everyday....
Anyone else have anything to add? I'd love to hear more people's pros and cons on this........
Ok.. gotta go now. I need to go twitter about this post.... HA!!
I like this blog.... I disagree with some of it, but that's what makes it interesting!
ReplyDeleteI love twitter. I have friends who have been on it from the very beginning and have deleted their facebok and myspace for it---because they aren't using it to tell everyone what they ae doing, they are using it to keep in touch with people. That was why I joined. I like being able to do that...and get updates from news, entertainment, etc, all by one click.
I like that twitter can be private. I have mine on lock down, you cannot view any of my updates unless you ask me. If I do not know you... I don't add you. For me, its a private, easy way to keep up with some friends and family. I post things to twitter that I won't post to facebook and myspace. In a way my friends use it for private mini blogs, and basically just what's on our minds. I wouldn't know half of what's going on with one of my cousins if it weren't for twitter :)
For other people not on it.... I'm unsure. I don't see the problem if its basic chatter, its no different to me than calling someone and telling them something- but that might be just me because I am close to everyone on my twitter.
I love twitter. Its definitely my moste used app on my Blackberry. Its definitely confusing to explain to people that I want to join though LOL.
I'm writing this on my BBerry,and I knooow hit wrong keys, so excuse any errors LOL!
Hey there... thanks for sharing your perspective..
ReplyDeleteI do understand that there are privacy "locks" like you use... and that different people can approach using Twitter differently than I do. That's why I put up this post. Since twitter is a relatively new social network, we can all discover new ways to use it.
However, I do have a question.. you say for you it's a private way to keep up with family and friends. But, even though I'm not "following" you, I did a check. I can still see WHO is following you, and there are organizations following you(i.e. Starbucks, LivePerson Community, SocialScope, etc.). All those organizations have people monitoring your tweets, and those aren't people in your "inner circle" of friends, right? You said if you don't know someone, you don't add them... but you don't really know someone at those organizations, do you? And they can see all that you post, correct?
Or am I wrong? Educate me dear. You know WAY more about this kind of stuff than me! :-)
Yes and No. There are twitter hacks I've been scoping out and trying to use. To explain what I'm aiming for- I use a thing called "live journal"--- which I also keep locked. People add friends and can read entries. I have different "groups" of friends so say I write an entry--- and when I post if I select it to post to "family, plus ..."-- only people in that group will see. THAT'S how I want to set up my twitter. I'm a little technically advanced kinda, so I'm trying to find hacks and see if all that is going to be possible. Its helpful for stuff like-- when we threw a surprise party for a co-worker, and I could pos about it--- but not to that person, when I made something for Anita for Xmas that I was just bursting to show someone, etc.
ReplyDeleteSo for now its trial and error. I figure I don't post anything over the top personal because it IS the internet, but still like knowing whose on it, so a few corps I'm not worried about. (Esp one like Starbucks...I doubt with as many people that they have that a post like "I'm so annoyed with blah!" Or some sort of rant is going to even be noticed by them let alone understood LOL) It's more so some individuals that I don't want reading-- like my nosey father who wants every aspect of my life, or certain co-workers if I need to vent about a bad day at work.
Although side note, I do know the peeps over at social scope, one of my nerd friends and it's a new twitter thing being made for 'berry.... Very awesome! :)
Does that make sense? I really think that with twitter growing like it is....we are going to start having way more options! But for now, I'll keep the little hacks, play with designing it and play.
I really think its a great thing for stuff like gigs and stuff as well-- its kind of "myspacey" in that sort of way, it reaches a lot of people.
I'll shut up now. You wrote a good blog that the technical nerd in me shouted "YAY" about, so I just started rambling.
I am considering joining twitter, but, I'm afraid I am not sure how it works. Is it texting from your phone? And if it is, I am also wondering if it is one of those "other" things w/my cell service. Unlimited text and 500 "others"...Is twitter an "other"?
ReplyDeleteNo Jessie, twitter is not one of those "others".... but you CAN download an application so that you can "mobile twitter" from your phone, which is the way MOST people do it during the day. If you don't have a phone that will download an app for it, then you probably don't wanna jump in right now. However, go to twitter.com and you can sign up (it's all free) and try it. You also want to download a desktop app so you can follow along easily from there too!
ReplyDelete