Just keep tweeting, Just keep tweeting...

Social networks. The commanding spectrum of our current internet community. Over the past 4 years or so, there has been tough competition between social network corporations, attempting to secure the coveted first place in internet domination...
By examining this image below (thanks to Online Schools for this State of the Internet infographic), you can tell from a glance that for the past 3 years, Facebook has been the dominating SNS, boasting over 600 million followers for 2011. But I am actually more interested in the previous dark horse of social networks (until 2010), Twitter. This year, coming in second in the race for internet domination, Twitter claims 200 million followers. What made it come out of the shadows so quickly?

If I had to make an educated guess, it would be the users contribution which has given Twitter the extra push from fifth to second place. They really have defined it in regards to the array of content available, but even more-so when you consider the hashtag # and @ phenomenon. These were actually invented by the Twitter user base, which as Steven Johnson notes in this week's reading, has become a central part of the Twitter experience. It makes it easy for any user to follow a live feed about events/debates and of course directly reply to other users. This can essentially be known as "end-user innovation," whereas consumers actively modify a product in order to adapt it to their needs.

My question is, when we combine the follower structure network, link-sharing & real-time searching, have we concocted an almost-perfect social network? (In 140 characters or less ofcourse). By furthering Twitter's data scope larger than the "I had toast for breakfast" tweets, it has become more relevant to users everywhere (even i'm getting sucked in). TODAY, we can form relationships, get information on friends, family, celebrities, current news and events, advertise, share images & links...But there are plenty of reports & discussions noting that TOMORROW will be so much more. You could apply for jobs via twitter, possibly be arrested for what you post, use twitter for text-to-speak applications and even become a citizen journalist via tweets.

 I can't help but contemplate where does the future for Twitter and Social Networks lies for tomorrow, and will it follow up on these promises? I guess we can only keep tweeting and see what happens! Leave your thoughts with me below :)


Online sourced links
http://www.onlineschools.org/state-of-the-internet/soti.html
http://www.news.com.au/technology/youre-hired-editor-picks-best-twitter-cv/story-e6frfrnr-1226138038420
http://www.news.com.au/technology/pair-faces-30-years-in-jail-for-allegedly-posting-false-kidnapping-reports-on-twitter/story-e6frfro0-1226130663850#ixzz1XvCYKJ93
http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecrandell/2011/09/11/an-angel-brings-voice-to-twitter-2/
http://gigaom.com/2011/09/15/freedom-of-the-press-applies-to-everyone-yes-even-bloggers/