If you've ever wondered what your friends are doing when you're not with them, you are in luck. No no, I'm not talking about some new superage spy kit thing - I'm talking about websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Users of these sites are able to post updates about what they're so that all their friends, and even complete strangers, can know what they're doing. If Eric from Boston is in Lake Winnipesaukee for the weekend - he can post it for everyone to see. If Natalie from Seattle is on a date - she can update everyone on how it's going, even right from dinner.
The Pew Research Center recently announced that "as of December 2008, 11% of online American adults said they used a service like Twitter or another service that allowed them to share updates about themselves or to see the updates of others." In May, this number was at 6%. According to Alexa.com, the average number of unique page views per user for Twitter is up 41.9% in the past three months.
And it's not only everyday people that are using these sites. They are also quickly becoming a way for brands, musicians, athletes, etc. to connect with their fans. Whole Foods, Dunkin Donuts, CNN, Shaquille O'Neal, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, Jimmy Fallon, and MC Hammer are all on Twitter. That's right - you can now fulfill your dream of knowing exactly what MC Hammer is doing on a daily basis.
I know that people love talking about themselves, but will we reach a point when people don’t care about Eric’s weekend on the lake or Natalie’s date? I don’t think so. Using these sites is not only a way for people to stay connected with friends, but it’s also a form of entertainment. With just a few clicks of my mouse, I can see what hundreds of people I know are doing. Whether it’s my colleague at the desk next to me or my brother in L.A., if they post it, I can know what they’re doing 24/7.
But what do you think – will you ever stop caring or will you continue to check and see if Natalie is going on a second date?
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