Blogging and Twitter
Leaving aside the confusion that I am going to twitter about blogging about twitter, it’s worth looking at my previous post explaining Twitter.
On my birthday (coincidentally), Tom Harris MP wrote a post asking whether “Twitter is more leftie than the blogosphere”. /
I ask this because when I check my Twitter feed, it tends to contain slightly less criticism of the government — in fact, less politics in general.
In fact, it’s almost certain that there is “less politics” due to the fact that on Twitter, the chatter is a lot more inane, “so-and-so is making a cup of tea” or “watching the Apprentice” as opposed to “such-and-such dislikes the third reading of the South West transport bill!”
Blogs are, in contrast, a more personal space. The chances are that like searches for like. Harris concludes that blogs are like dinner parties, while Twitter is like the pub. I’m certainly inclined to agree, based on my previous post.
Though, this should provide an opportunity, as blogs define themselves in the search for an identity. By having a space for “intellectual” (longer) thoughts, and a space for “who cares-ities” (“X is going to the shops!”) the two become more distinct.
The overlap would be the Livejournal; the internet diary. Many people use blogges to talk about their morning toast or their yoga lessons in more depth than the average tweet would allow.
We might even be rid of the “Hi. How are you?” “Hi. Didn’t you read my Twitter from 3 minutes ago?”
March 27th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
To whom it may concern,
First of all, I must admit I have never thought about the differences in politics that these new social nets can host. It would be really intetresting to elaborate a complete work with a historical perspective and some statistics. But I would like to suggest another discussion. I seriously begin to worry about the security problems that these instruments will bring us in the future. Without realising it, or maybe enjoying our unconsciousness, we are posting indiscriminately loads of personal information or details that we would not dare to let the others know in a first appointment. Will some data we have posted voluntarily compromise us in the future? Would someone with a special sense of "law-engineering" have the power to use legally all these data?
I do not have neither Twitter, nor Livejournal. I do not define myself as "Internetaholic" or whatever it could be called. But still, I've got Facebook, that seems to be a requirement to keep a normal social life, nowadays. I should admit my guiltiness. There is nothing I can do to escape from the net so I suppose I have just learned to live with it.
I just want to invite everyone to join my worry. I may look pessimist. Well, Nouriel Roubini also used to be…
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March 27th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
That's a very good point Laura, I advise that you take a look at my previous Twitter post, where I talked about the amount of personal information people give up!
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