To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question Facebook users are asking themselves these days. Over the past year, Facebook users have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon, but are they going to make the switch and become permanent tweeters?
Senior Gabby Arevalo said that even though she not a tweeter yet, Facebook is being taken over by Twitter.
“Everyone I know uses hashtags in their pictures, statuses and captions. I believe Twitter will eventually be the new Facebook, we just have to give it time.”
In the past year both sites have grown immensely. In 2010 TechCrunch calculated that around the world there were an estimated eighty-four million Twitter users; this year, the website has grown to over 200 million users. Last year when The Social Network was released, the poster for the movie announced Facebook’s latest news making the world aware that they had increased their amount of users to 500 million worldwide. This year, the networking site increased their users to 640 million.
“I only use Facebook because my friends are on Facebook, but if more of my friends go onto Twitter, then I guess I will too,” sophomore Sheridan Jones said.
Junior Hannah Hinze is one of the few who only uses a Twitter. Hinze uses her Twitter to get information about upcoming books from her favorite authors, read the latest news stories and share her different writing and art from her blog.
“I like being able to share my work, and Twitter allows me to do that in a fast, quick, and easy way,” Hinze said.
The two sites have their advantages and disadvantages; Facebook is constantly changing their layout, while Twitter keeps their layout mostly the same. Twitter limits its users only 140 characters per update, while on Facebook, the limit is significantly longer. They both have their moments when the site crashes and it feels as if the world is ending because no one can update anything until the sites are back up. Both sites have made it possible for a user to access their webpage through a simple text message on their phone. While both networks are “the thing” to use these days, it’s quite possible that they won’t both be around in a few years.
MySpace users thought MySpace would be around forever; and while it is still around, according to TechCrunch, their user rate has decreased rapidly since 2008. In 2008, when MySpace started laying off employees, the popular site had around 1,600 employees. When Justin Timberlake and Specific Media bought the company for over $35 million in June this year, the company only had a staff of 200.
In the next five years, Google+, the newest social networking site, will most likely be the new Facebook.
“Google+ probably will be the new Facebook. It is like Facebook but without all the game invitations and annoying things people post on your newsfeed,” Mr. Ritter said.
Senior Parker Morrow thinks Facebook is the best social networking site and will always be around.
“I use it to keep in touch with my friends and family that are in and out of the country. I use it to IM people, and keep everyone updated on what I am doing. It’s much better than Twitter and will be around forever, unlike Twitter. Plus, colleges check your Facebook too, which is cool. They want to see that you’re a well-rounded student, which Facebook allows you to show them,” Morrow said.
Due to Twitter’s new popularity, the site gains new tweeters every day; regular average Joes are using it, celebrities, authors, and media stations are all on the Twitter bandwagon.
“It’s just an easy, practical way to say what you need to say and then be done,” Hinze said.
Whether you are a tweeter or a Facebook user, you are bound to use both of them at one point. As for how long, that’s up to new, upcoming social networking sites to decide.
