Twitter Tipping Point

I am sensing a Twitter Tipping Point. Not only was it the hot topic among friends at a bar this weekend, KQED interviewed Twitter co-founder Biz Stone this week about the role of this social networking tool.

At the bar last Saturday my friend asks his twitter savvy friend why he should use this mini-blogging tool. The response came in the form of a question: "Do you remember when I told you to use Facebook eight months ago?" he asked. "Now you use it often and don't need me to tell you why to use facebook," he said. "Well, that's whats going to happen once you start using Twitter."

That's exactly what Stone said as people wrapped their heads around why they should start using this technology. In an interview on KQED's Forum, Stone spoke with host Scott Schafer and bay area callers about why Twitter is important, how to best use it, and the implications of its use.

The main thing that seems to differentiate Twitter from other social networking sites is its closeness to real-time interaction. Even news events over the past few months have been given immediate access to the public via twitter. Just look at the Mumbai attacks or the landing of the plane on the Hudson River in January.

If Twitter is going to become a source of up to the minute news, Schafer asked about how much credibility users should be giving this "news." Stone believes that there does not need to be a mediator, the truth will prevail. The truth will emerge because once something false is presented, Stone says another twitter user will come along and correct it. He also emphasized the need for twitter users to authenticate information for themselves by choosing their sources wisely and/or cross checking information with other sources.

More practical ways that Twitter is being used:

- Twitter is a vehicle for keeping a blog's readers updated on new posts.
- It can be used in dangerous situations. Just look at the journalist student who alerted his network of twitter friends when he was arrested in Egypt.
- Twitter is a great way for companies and organizations to keep their customers or members updated on promotions or events.

There are probably a million other ways that Twitter can be used and I imagine its role will continue to evolve as it becomes more mainstream. In my sphere of friends and acquantences only a few tech-savvy ones religiously use Twitter. However, I am sensing a tipping point. While Twitter currently seems like a piece of technology that I can live without, my interest has been sparked and I am really interested to try it. My main worry is that Twitter will make me document every second of my life rather than live it. But, I am open to the possibility that it could find a niche in my world and become an important way for me to connect to information as well as share it. I'll keep you updated on when Twitter inhabits my life. What are your thoughts on the Twitter tipping point?