How To Change The World … On Twitter??
Lady Gaga does it. So does President Obama, Charlie Sheen and Ai Weiwei. What’s that? Tweet, of course.
They of course, know how to get followers on Twitter. But they’re also global figures. And Twitter is becoming, more and more – a global commodity and a platform for discussion…and punishment. It’s amazing how quickly 140 characters and the ability to express ourselves within it have integrated into our society. Some call it over-sharing or information saturation, but for others it a mode of engagement that is a revelation. Twitter only began five years ago, which at once seems like a very long time ago and not a long time ago at all. Now Twitter has 200 million users as of 2011 and handles almost 2 billion search queries a day.
Interestingly enough, there was a case in Maylasia where a social activist claimed that his friend was mistreated by her place of employment because she was pregnant. In an out-of-court settlement, the activist had to tweet his apology 100 times.
And now it has just come out that Ai Weiwei, the Nobel Peace Prize winning Chinese activist (and dissident) has reactivated his Twitter account and has used it to describe the treatment of colleagues who were detained with him and potentially because of him.
Twitter and other social media platforms are powerful tools. On Twitter, most of the world’s most powerful political figures (or their cabinet) have Twitter accounts, as well as celebrities and philanthropists, CEO’s and blue collar workers. If nothing else, it is quite a mode of conversation and has the ability to reach across (nearly) all boundaries. Anyone who has access to a computer and is literate has access to Twitter. And that is a good portion of the world that might not be heard otherwise.
But the question comes – do you think real change can be brought about through social media? We’ve seen examples of it before, with the revolt in Egypt and recently with cleanup for the London riots being organized through social media. But how long do you think a platform like Twitter will be around? Does it truly have staying power, or will people get tired of sharing every thought with the rest of the world, the history of their life documented in tweets and tagged photos, public conversations and humiliations?
Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps in ten, twenty years ‘Facebook me’ and ‘tweet’ will have fallen out of the vernacular and social media will no longer be integrated into our culture – but who knows. Perhaps something more all-encompassing will have emerged – and everyone will be more transparent than they are now. What’s your theory?
Mary Turner is a freelance writer who also knows how to get followers on Twitter. She thinks something new and shiny is going to come along and replace any ‘social media’ definition we’ve ever had.
cc licensed ( BY ND ) flickr photo shared by .MegLynn.
Mary – great post. I am definitely up in the air about Twitter’s staying power (long term), but short term, there is no question that Twitter will continue to grow and be utilized by all of the groups that you mentioned. I also feel that there is a strong chance that as technology and social platforms continue to emerge, Twitter could very well hang and adapt if not set the bar for others. I am fairly new to Twitter but I love it and see how it could continue to benefit businesses, individuals and as you mentioned, “the world”. Look at how fast the news about Osama bin Laden spread because of Twitter. Again, great post!
I agree with craig. This Social Networks really do good in spreading out the news. Miss it today but still you can see it tomorrow.
Hi there. Thanks for sharing this. Yeah, twitter definitely has some power, but i don’t think it’s that big to be able to change the world.
Hey Mary!
I really appreciate and admire your description,you have showed all the popularity stats of Twitter over here very well.I do agree with you that Twitter is a biggest platform for sharing thoughts with quality people.Thank you for sharing such a great and valuable info with us.
Good Luck and God Bless!!
thanks a lot for the post! liked it!!!
twitter is really challenged for every one…..
Hi,Mary!
I agree with your views related to Twitter and its influence, and, answering to your question, I think it will not lose its power over time…people will not get tired of sharing, as they recognize the benefits of sharing. However, it may evolve into something bigger, but lets just wait and see.
Thanks for sharing, i enjoyed reading it!
I love twitter!
Great post!!! I love twitter
I am not in favor of Twitter, as there are thousands of tools available that help in creating fake accounts, and then getting fictitious followers.. So i think the Twitter is getting ‘Mis-used’ badly
twitter is my favorite. I love it. great post dude.
Every one love twitter. because twitter we can share our daily experience if you have a bad day or good day..
Wonderful!
True fans are as hard to come by as true friends — and just as valuable to your branding as friends are to you personally. What is your gut feeling, if any, on a general “conversion rate”vochtbestrijding of followers to true fans? (Of course it will vary — just curious if there’s some kind of general number you have in mind.)
In any case, thanks for a thought-provoking post, and a reminder of the power that is inherent to Twitter’s architecture