Twitter is 10 years old this 2016
With this new blog site to complement my role, I have been intending to write about Twitter even if it seems not to be a new topic. Twitter has been around for some time. In 2012, I gave a workshop on Twitter in Dumaguete City in the Philippines. In 2013, I made a small-scale survey about the gratifications and benefits of using Twitter and presented that in Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Looking at my old notes, I realized Twitter is celebrating its 10th birthday. So this article is my gift to you.
Historically Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone and Evan Williams were the founders of Twitter. Noah Glass gave the name Twitter. Jack sent the first message on Twitter on March 21, 2006 9:50pm. It read, “just setting up my twttr“.
#FollowHer #FollowMe
How does Twitter works?
It operates on the idea of #followHer or #followMe. It is universal, open to anybody who wishes to subscribe. But each line of voice is limited to 140 characters. It is a convenient tool to connect or interact as many users perceive it.
It was also Twitter that created the universal hashtag (#) convention that is now used in all social media applications.
What makes it unique?
First, a person need not be in a group or needed to join a group before she can interact. This model is very different from the virtual community model. There is no core but just a huge open space. Anybody can be anywhere or anybody can be at the same place but has the means to hear what she wants to hear.
Second, it has a universal nature. Anything a person decides to say or to announce in Twitter may be heard by everyone through the use of a simple hashtag. The hashtag invention is a revolutionary character designed by Twitter.
Third, it is able to address alienation among strangers by bringing a modern day method of collegial online interfacing— brief statement, credibility of information, and silent listening of the personal sentiments posted loudly in different ways.
In my 2013 study, I was able to uncover that:
- Twitter is ideal to enhance and build professional networks.
- It enables self expression of “thinking” thoughts.
- It provides opportunities for intelligent conversations.
- It led to a new culture of reciprocity!
- TWITTER is for the modern online tribe with no leader.
Twitter is a persuasive technology designed to change attitudes or behaviors of the users through social influence, thinking kinships, and gratifying social situations.
According to Emmanuel Levinas, a Lithuanian Jewish philosopher, individuals by default are already always in social relations. Such instances drive individuals to their desire and enjoyment. Such gratifying situation is of human transcendental nature.
Individuals can inhabit overlapping worlds, ONLINE OR OFFLINE, if the experience tend to conform or favor their decisiveness. This idea of a person being in a setting that favors the sways of her desires and decisiveness can lead to constructive human engagement —from simple expression of sentiments to sharing information or even exchanging ideas and opinions. This is what Twitter has been doing, it is a platform of a modern day, distance situated but constructive and reformist human affair.
ICT Teaching in Southeast Asia 