Many people think Twitter is for twits, but who would have thought it could become a major organising tool as it has in Iran in recent weeks. Thought this was worth a look and a think.
I have to admit I have started Twittering, to the dismay of some of my family, and interestingly, to the obvious close interest of some on the other side of the political fence who seem to find some of my tweets worthy of blog posts and the odd Ministerial comment.
Social networking is transforming our communities and creating new dilemmas and challenges in communication.
The network and the digitisation of data means we have immediate access to more knowledge and information than ever in history, and we can do what we like with it. And we, the consumers, are not only passively receiving the information; we’re starting to do stuff with it ourselves.
I’m keen to know what people think about Twitter as a tool.
A better question is: do I feel I can trust and engage with someone who twitters, more than someone who didnt (because they were scared or ignorant or didnt believe it works for them), then I would say hell yeah I’d be more likely to feel engaged with you for twittering – it’s why ashton has 1 million followers. It should be mandatory for all MPs.
Like all online media though it has a cool tendency to backfire and explode-in-the-face of the hapless n00b (hey its official word now, alright?) like this Twitter story of moment:
http://hoekstraisameme.com
Ask Charles Chauvel?
He posted here (A true story) 3 days ago and seemed fairly chuffed that a National list member should see fit to follow him…
lol
its hard to be bothered talking about social networking. Better just to do it, isn’t it?
Twitter is one of *many* tools that have a role to play in connecting, informing and involving people. Seems to me that the ‘informing’ part is kind of the easy part. I think people – including (especially?) politicians – need to think harder about the ‘connecting’ and ‘involving’. Asking for comment, as you have, is a good start
There’s a good article over the weekend in the Guardian too called “Twitter: The tweet that shook the world”:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/21/observer-profile-twitter-internet
@SteveO
Jon Stewart ran a hilarious item that screened here Friday night about Hoekstra and the House Republicans tweeting: http://tinyurl.com/l8yd5a
Governments seem to work better when there is large contact between the MPs and the public, which is what things like twitter help do. We can readily find out what’s going on in the beehive, and you can easily ask us for our input. The thing I’m going to be looking out for, is whether it will increase voter turnout. I think it might because if you can reach heaps of people with your blogs and tweets, it will make people care more about whats going on in the beehive as they can see for themselves, rather than relying on a few garbled soundbites on the news. Hopefully it will get rid of political apathy, which I find incredibly frustrating.
Cal, this is a hugely important topic for discussion, well one I feel very strongly about. I describe it as cyncism towards politics and politicians, rather than apathy and it’s born out of a sense of powerlessness that people feel in how to effect change. Of course not all of us are activists, but I’m sure more of us could be, if we felt there were ways to get involved and have a say. I hope that initiatives like Red Alert and even, god help us, Twitter, are tools for bringing MPs, Labour MPs anyway, closer to people. That can only be a good thing.
I’m yet to be convinced. Raw video footage is largely meaningless without researched, informed, objective and independent commentary. The danger that Twitter presents is that it contributes to the ‘dumbing down’of the MSM as they adopt a Twitter approach to news in order to keep up with ‘citizen journalists’, and abandon the basic ethics of good journalism.
I’ve found Twitter good for three things; announcements to a large group of people, discussions among a select group of people with similar outlooks, and keeping up with the ideas of a number of people.
The first is perhaps the easiest, and the most useful. You only need to look at Barack Obama or some of the prominent Iranians twittering to see this. The second is more difficult, especially if you’re following and being followed by a large group of people with disparate interests – policy discussions on a subject will turn-off some of your followers. If you have a more homogeneous or tolerant follower base this can be useful. Or you can use it like Charles has, asking for feedback on a subject. The third is something I do, and again it’s a useful way to utilise Twitter. The problem for an MP is that you’re already overloaded with information, and you have to decide how useful this is to you.
I suspect you already know some of this. My advice would be to use it, and find out. If it doesn’t work for you it can be left aside.
George
That’s all useful. I currently use Twitter to advise people when I’m doing something, eg posting on Red Alert, general comments on events I’ve attended and observations in the House. Occasionally something a bit personal, which gee, might reveal something about my personality (it’s important that people know that MPs have them).
My challenge is to build a Twitter constituency, so I am communicating with a good number of people and then make sure I do communicate relevant things to them. But also to make sure it’s an interactive thing, because it’s not all about me. It’s about mobilising and getting people to express their views, or participate in some sort of discussion.
And it’s not difficult to twitter, but it can be remembering to do it.
Jennifer
I don’t agree about the dumbing down. I think you can communicate a lot in 140 characters and it’s another interesting way to interact with a bunch of people. I love how technology spurs us to change the ways in which we interact. Video footage can be hugely evocative and galvanising. Just think of the “Yes we can” you tube clip made during the Obama campaign which touched a generation
http://tinyurl.com/2upsz4
I wish I could defend the ethics of good journalism. Sadly both (ethics and good) seem to be becoming a rare notion (spoken as a former journalist). I do however believe in the ethics of most of the people who bother to contribute on this blog and through other online social networks. And I like having this discussion.
@baz 9.43 Sometimes people follow twitters just for the laugh of comments made by the poster. Dosnt mean that they agree or like them.
Like Clares comments on Twitter: “rodney hide gives me the creeps” made a lot of people follow her just for giggles.
bikerkiwi, hmmmm so you reckon Clare wouldn’t want a tango with the Hide??? Would be worth twittering about don’t you think?
Certainly not comrades in arms? The mind boggles at the twit possibilities..