Twitter Fingers

Twitter has arguably become one of the most influential social media apps of this generation. Unlike the broad scope of Facebook and its subsidiaries, Twitter is a platform used by the most respected officials in the world. As a country America has built itself on the mantra of free speech, with Twitter that mantra is given a technological location. Twitter mission statement is “to give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information without barriers.” But this mission statement has exceeded the notion of free speech. Now Twitter is used as one of the main sources of information for the world. Its more than just connecting with people, the app allows you to connect with the world. Even brands have moved to the app to market to consumers in a wildly successful way. An article written by FastCompany.com interviews Netflix and how they succeed with Twitter marketing. Netflix said the key to their success is “don’t promote, entertain and stand out by taking risks.” Those familiar with the app know that Twitter is nothing if not a risky platform. Twitter has transformed from the app that posted random “micro” thoughts, to becoming a social media juggernaut that encompasses aspects of our everyday life. 

The reach that Twitter has can be used for more than just marketing. Twitter is a tool that can be used to successfully inform the masses or gain information. For journalist, Twitter is the app where they can reach people to keep them informed. On the explorer page whenever something newsworthy is trending, users can see news outlets coverage of the topic. Instead of mediocre journalism that takes place on apps like Facebook, Twitter has coverage that includes reports, news anchors, eyewitnesses, and live footage. As a tool for journalist Twitter doesn’t harbor limits to informing people. It provides a space for people to gain information but also to contribute to it how they seem fit. Another use of Twitter is in the realm of politics. Politics is tricky and, in the past, hasn’t always been transparent. With Twitter the transparency is ever so apparent. Now politicians visit the app routinely (some more than other) to reach out to the people they govern. This helps to get a sense of your supporters/haters and what they’re needs ours. There should more than one channel to have a dialogue with our world leaders. By using Twitter in politics, we can incorporate proper influence in decisions making. Just in the last couple of years certain laws have changed to fit our more modern times. That’s the result of having a platform to express our political concerns. 

This year alone has shown just how powerful Twitter has really become. The world seems to be riddled with crisis and Twitter seems to catalog all this information for its users. One tragedy that comes to mind is the Amazon Fires. The man-made wildfires of the amazon rainforest may have gone unnoticed by Americans if not for Twitter. Instead timelines were filled with videos of raging fires destroying Mother Nature. Those videos were accompanied by the indigenous people who live in the Amazon rainforest crying as their home is being eviscerated by greed. The response that followed were dozens of GoFundMe accounts raising money to help those people. Activists took to Twitter to rally the troops against those who benefit from the wildfire. In one day, a topic that wouldn’t get coverage on the evening news got the attention of the entire world. The response after the news proved that Twitter has enhanced communications so that we could help our fellow man. Another instance that shows the power of Twitter is the recent impeachment inquiry against the President. The inquiry when it was reported became an instant trending topic on Twitter. Since then people have constantly contributed to the topic by expressing their opinions on the subject. The subject is then fueled by news outlets that add more facts to the conversation to keep it fresh. Now people can express their ideas and get responses. This impeachment inquiry has increased conversation amongst the app that it has become a regular trending topic. The most prominent example of Twitters power however comes in the form of President Trump. The man has made Twitter his home and for better or worse, users communicate about him every day. His every tweet is overanalyzed by millions of people who make their responses public. Some glorify Trump because his Twitter informs Americans without the political correctness. While other demonize him for using the app to communicate obscenities to the American people. Regardless on which of those people you are, the result is the same. The President is a topic that has allowed for opposing sides to communicate on scale that was previously undreamt of. Each of these examples are successful at showing how Twitter is used as a communicator to the public. These examples generated a worldwide response that have proven how prevalent Twitter has become in present day. 

For the Twitter project the page @Lakem01 followed three accounts that pertained to climate change activism. One page was called Extinction Rebellion (@ExtinctionR). The page is run by an activist group that protest for climate change around the world. The group is made up of mostly young people who don’t want to see their planet die. Following this page gave the Twitter account legitimize in terms of young people protesting. The other two people followed on the @Lakem01 were Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Barack Obama. The reason for following them is because they have been very vocal about climate change. Both have introduced policies to hopefully reverse the harmful things done to the environment. Although both have been met with ridicule, they continue to regularly speak out of the importance of climate change. These three twitter pages correlate with the mission statement of the @Lakem01 twitter. 

Twitter is a smaller version of blogging that garners more attention. Blogging was once the way people could communicate their ideas but with Twitter those blogs have begun to die. Using Twitter was easier because it’s a familiar platform that has a small learning curve. Anyone can go on to the app and start conversation. The same cant be said about other social media apps or free speech platforms. The simplicity of Twitter is what intrigues people, what they find after that is the reason, they continue to use the app today.