The AOL Instant Messenger was the direct form of communication back in the days of dial-up Internet. It was the only way to talk to our friends and elementary crushes without being heard on the house phone.
As we matured and went on to middle school and high school, social networking evolved with us. The handheld, mirror shot was born and the world of Myspace was the only place to be seen. If you didn’t have the right pictures, the best quotes, the coolest celebrity’s photo under the “role models” section, you were a loser.
Myspace was a gateway drug into the world of social media. Toward the end of high school, when we became wiser and “too mature” for Myspace, the Facebook era began. It is not news that Facebook has taken over the world. With over 800 million users today, Facebook has become a tool for both social and professional networking. Despite that, Facebook is past its prime.
Twitter, although it has been around since 2006, will soon be the tool to use. The CEO of Twitter, Dick Costolo, reported in September that more than 100 million users are now active on Twitter. Still 75 percent less than Facebook, Twitter will soon become the new Facebook and Facebook will become the new Myspace. According to Mashable Social Media, there are 230 million tweets a day, 8,900 per second.
Unlike Facebook, Twitter gives people direct access to celebrities. While not everyone is obsessed with following a certain famous person’s every move, millions of people are. The top five followed people (Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, and Barack Obama) tweet daily on their whereabouts and appearances. This gives more than 11 million fans desperately desired communication in 140 characters or less.
If you own the iPhone, a Twitter account is coming your way shortly. The 200 million plus people who own iPhones, according to CNN, will be forced to share via Twitter if they have a habit of commonly posting photos, videos, and links. The iOS 5 software, released early October, includes Twitter integration. After taking a picture, listening to a song, or using any of the iPhone features, a Twitter button is ready to be tapped for instant upload. Facebook, available for download on any iPhone, will not be able to survive the fierce competition Twitter is bringing. With Apple endorsing it, there is no doubt that Twitter’s popularity will dramatically increase.
We have been through a lot with Facebook, but sadly its time has ended. Soon liking comments and stalking profiles will be a thing of the past. Becoming obsessed with Twitter will not be as dangerous as Facebook. Although there are still ways to waste hours, scrolling through the site. Twitter is a more condensed, savvy way to social network.
If you aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to Facebook, treat it like a Band-Aid. Deactivate it quickly then post your first tweet.
— Caroline Nachazel is a communication and Spanish junior. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.
