Noelle Clemente
140 characters. Micro blogging has decided that 140 characters are considered enough to convey a message.
Internet communicators have developed their own language abbreviating to squeeze big messages into small spaces. Blog, the abbreviated version of Web log, has developed into a popular means of communication for the fast paced society.
Twitter boasts “you can stay hyper-connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time. You can even set quiet times on Twitter so you’re not interrupted.”
More recently, “tweets” have been used to share information surrounding the attacks in Mumbai. Bringing together all the characteristics: instant, personal, valid and community drive information this was a breakthrough for micro blogging. Though there are still flaws, this instance argued another side of the online scene.
Instant!
America Online released its Instant Messenger service in May of 1997, arguably the start of brief, fast online communication. From here came emoticons and abbreviations making messages faster to send and read. Away messages allowed users to be online but appear away. More recently, the invisibility feature allows users to be online, but have no one else aware.
“Instant” has almost lost its allure since 1997, however, as most everything on the Internet is instant. Micro bloggers have taken the web by storm, one character at a time, sending “instant messages” at all hours.
But what is lost in condensing messages down to 140 characters sent at any time? How many messages are meaningful, substantive or beneficial to society?
The beauty of the Internet, and sites like Twitter, is that anyone can use, contribute or participate. The negative side is that to find meaningful messages amidst the excess is nearly impossible.
Furthermore, why is it important to know where your friends are and what they are doing at all times? Society has developed at such a fast rate we are almost unaware of the changes and advancements that have been made.
Getting Personal
A major aspect of communication is non-verbal. Body language and tone are lost in online characters. Italics, exclamation points and other features can attempt to imply tone; however, they do not always succeed.
While implications are hardly concrete research or formally debatable, they do hold credibility throughout online conversations. Some messages are easier to convey online and more effectively managed, but personal communications should remain just that, personal.
Could it be true?
Research is one of the positive side effects of technology. The Internet has made it extremely easy to find information about anything at the click of a few buttons. Many of these micro bloggers, however, have posted information with no credibility. Readers are not always aware of this fact, and take whatever they find to be true.
Constant updates allow news to be instant. It has also increased the level of expectations for news information. While anyone with slight knowledge of the Internet can post news with ease, it is not always received or clear at the rate people want to receive it.
Internet expectations are responsible for an increased reader base, positively increasing knowledge and curiosity in the online community. However, what is often forgotten is the responsibility to verify.
Community
Bringing people together is the most beneficial aspect of the Internet. The World Wide Web allows us to connect to people around the globe. Sites like Twitter allow family and friends to maintain a blog while traveling hundreds of miles away from one another.
The danger of these sites is using them for the wrong reasons. Keeping in touch with those far away is positive. Posting online updates and avoiding personal life is negative.
The balance of good and bad is vital to the success of Internet communication sites and brief micro blogging. Not everything can be said in 140 characters, but sometimes it can be enough.
