“I Tweet, Therefore I Am”

MySpace has come and gone, Facebook is still alive and kicking, but there’s a new kid on the social networking block and its name is Twitter.

This new internet craze started off in 2006 as a side project of founder Evan Williams and his company, Odeo. Since then, it has boomed into a major competitor in the social networking scene. In November 2008, Twitter had an estimated 4-5 million users.

But what is the appeal?

Well, it may seem trivial, but apparently leaving simple status updates limited to 140 characters or less is quite the addiction.

Celebrities “tweet”, including the likes of President Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, MC Hammer, Jimmy Fallon, etc. They have “followers” that number in the tens of thousands. My own boyfriend uses the site to “tweet” about hockey along with other enthusiasts updating each other on scores, trade rumors, and other hockey-related things I will never, ever understand.

Twitter’s founder, Evan Williams, recently made a presentation about his site and its abilities, as well as its adaptability to users’ constantly evolving needs.

Williams describes Twitter not only as a social networking tool, but one that can be depended on in times of crisis and emergency. As stated in the video, the Twitter staff had no idea that their network would evolve to fulfill such an important (and sometimes life-saving) task. The media has also hoped on the Twitter bandwagon, promoting their products and using it as a form of viral advertising.

With all its positives (both intentional and not), what is going on in the mind of the average Twitter user? Owen Thomas of Valleywag recently posted an article outlying the psychological aspects of the average Twitter user. In summary, Thomas finds that users post “tweets” about their mundane activities because of an underdeveloped sense of self. Users amass “followers” as a form of reassurance of their importance.

For better or for worse, one thing is certain and that is that Twitter is here to stay. With its ever-increasing number of users, simplicity and addictiveness, Twitter is quickly earning its spot alongside the industry giants.

And hey, who doesn’t like to “tweet” a little every now and then?!

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