Ang.Crilley

I was listening to 104.7 yesterday on my way home from work at 4.30pm – which is when the Hamish and Andy show airs for those who aren’t familiar. As per usual they were discussing random, pointless topics but they strayed across one that I thought relevant. Phone twitter, or phone twittering. Could it work? They questioned whether the phenomenon of ‘Twitter’ would still work and be as hugely popular if it was presented through phone conversations. Thought provoking, yes indeed. They made a few phone calls, simply quoted a 140 character sentence or less similar to one which you would find on twitter, and said it to the recipient. For example:

“Today I had a sandwich that was really nice but the cheese kept falling out.”

It didn’t really work. People were left questioning on the other end of the phone and didn’t really understand. So no, I guess the twitter craze doesn’t work over the telephone. But theoretically, they’re both forms of social networking. I think twitter is only successful over the internet, as the audience is much broader and you can check peoples tweets at your own discretion and convenience. Whereas a phone call is much more personal as it is direct and instant. There’s also the social norm that people expect an immediate answer on the telephone and a conversation with contribution from both parties, thus the whole concept of its design as an immediate 2- way communication device. But twitter can be passive.

“Twitter is the telegraph system of Web 2.0″ – Nicholas Carr, Author and Technologist