I intentionally avoid facebook status updates that say things like “I’m looking out the window.”
I’m a big fan of facebook used judiciously. While I wouldn’t spam my e-mail list with a request for a suggestion for a good restaurant in the North End, it is appropriate for the facebook culture.
When I first started using facebook I posted a diary and poll on BMG asking for thoughts on the best “Return On Investment” for internet organizing. While facebook got no votes, interestingly a significant number of the people who responded mentioned that they had seen my post on facebook.
I’m now asking the BMG community, have you ever been moved to action or had your opinion changes by a tweet from twitter?
Can twitter be used effectively in political organizing?
BTW you are welcome to follow me @KateDonaghue
DM on twitter? Bleh.
Who uses Twitter? Why? I’m still trying to figure out if there is any reason to use Twitter.
warrants an “Excellent.” I hadn’t seen this one before. LOL
You’d make mincemeat out of the “Tea Party Senator.”
Bob, thank you!
<
p>Shortly after Ted Kennedy died, I recieved a phone call.
<
p>The person asked, “Have you made a decision on the U. S. Senate race?”
<
p>My response, “Yes, I’ve made a decision. I’m not running.”
<
p>A clue on Walshgate. John would not be saying to me, “I’m Chair of MA Dem Party.” I have not yet ruled out a run in 2012, but I’m quite sure that I was not John’s intended recipient of his IM.
I know JW’s e-mail and cell phone number.
<
p>While I have not ruled out a run for U. S. Senate in 2012, I’m quite sure that I was not the intended recipient of John’s tweet.
Who that’s a legit candidate for Senate wouldn’t know who the Chair of the state party is?
<
p>My vote: it’s all a hoax.
The person calling me was really asking “Have you made a decision on who you will be supporting for U. S. Senate?”
<
p>My caller’s meaning was clear to both of us and I was making a joke.
<
p>I am impressed that a couple of people actually retweeted my post indicating that I have not ruled out a run for U. S. Senate.
<
p>Kate
I got dragged practically kicking and screaming into Facebook. I really don’t need to know what people have for breakfast or their opinion on the weather. I’m also partial to complete sentences and correctly spelled words so the whole 140-character thing wouldn’t work well for me.
A few months ago I started Tweeting as @WatertownDem (feel free to follow) to see if it was worth it and I’m still not sure if I’m “doing it right” but here are some observations I’ve made:
<
p>The biggest advantage of Twitter over Facebook is that you can follow anyone and anyone can follow you. In addition — these are one-way links, so to speak. You don’t have to follow any of your followers which allows you to avoid the spammers, the ‘what I ate for breakfast’ types et al.
<
p>Not only can you follow anyone (unless they’ve locked their tweets, but I’ve found most people don’t) but you can also respond to anyone, even people you’re not following. If someone tweets a question you can answer it. I’ve directed people to the DPW, answered public transportation questions, and other things I’ve found while searching for “Watertown”.
<
p>I’ve found a lot of people in town I otherwise wouldn’t ever have known about through Twitter. Those that choose to follow me now get information about Democratic events in town. That’s a net gain for the DTC as far as I’m concerned, even if these folks never show up to a meeting.
<
p>There are a lot of different ways to use Twitter, and while I’m no Twitter evangelist, I will say that people who dismiss it have really only dismissed a particular way of using it. Some people use it like an RSS feed — directing people to larger blog items they’ve written. Some people use it like social bookmarks — directing people to interesting things they found on the net. Some use it to publicize events and causes of interest to Democratic activists.
<
p>And of course, many use it to spam, phish or just post the first thing on their mind without any sort of filter. The best thing about Twitter is that you don’t have to follow these people.
Now that is exactly the kind of information I was looking for!
<
p>Thanks much!
<
p>
for the most part, I tweet about events coming up — elections, neighborhood cleanups, Town-related-parties, that sort of thing, almost always related to political events or charity events.
<
p>I have no idea if anyone reads my tweets, or if they act on them. That may be why I don’t tweet very often.
about how when Nixon toady William Safire got a column at the NYTimes, Safire attached “-gate” to every little minor hiccup that came along, thereby lessening the appearance of the crime of Watergate.
<
p>It is not a scandal to find out that the Chair of Mass Dems is looking for a candidate to beat a Republican Senator.
<
p>It is normal.
I see the designation as tongue-in-cheek.
You can tie your twitter to facebook, so you can just post on one to post on the other.
<
p>Twitter’s most useful aspect is as a direct-democracy style newsfeed. Any big event going on gets on twitter’s trends, even if it’s not something the media covers. Now, that isn’t always a good thing… people can be vain or pointless sometimes, but it often is at least illuminating. And quick. The protests in Iran really show, to me, how Twitter can be a powerful tool… I’m just not so sure it’s going to be such a powerful tool for campaign-style organizing, at least from a top-down approach.
<
p>Additionally, I sometimes twitter instead of live blogging (something I’ve never found particularly well suited to blogs).
It’s second only to the 14 votes of people who think Twitter is a “Waste of Time.”
The Herald is covering the story.
<
p>As I mentioned when I started this thread, I was new to Twitter. Like a number of people I had set up an account but I was not quite sure what to do with it.
<
p>Reading the posts here, and following #walshgate has given me a better idea of what Twitter can and cannot do.
<
p>I now know longer see it as a total waste of time, although it appears that more than half the poll respondents think that way.
<
p>I’ve never been afraid to learn.
<
p>Thanks for the help. And thanks to all the people who are now following me. I won’t “over tweet”, I promise. BTW, is there an “in” word for people who tweet way too much?
A pain the in a$$? Diarrhea of the keyboard? LOL
<
p>Also, I want to know if there’s a word for people who over-proselytize about the Greatness of Twitter. THOSE people drive me bananas. It’s like hanging around in high school with the “cool clique” over there mocking you for not being in the “cool clique.”
<
p>It’s like, dude, live and let live already. Let me spend my time and energy as I see fit, and you do the same for yourself. (Lately I barely have a spare minute to post on my blog…I do not need another timesink from hell thanks.)
<
p>That is so John!! That made me giggle. And, what foolishness, “oh, it was just a ploy to shine attention” or whatever. Give me a break. Of course, there’s no end to what people speculate about the truth with ZERO evidence…
I wouldn’t be on BMG if it weren’t for Twitter. I started Tweeting during the primary and was amazed by the group of Mass Dems on Twitter. So far I have learned about candidates running for office this November, learned about the caucus process that I was never aware of, and in turn learned that every town has a Dem. Committee. I’m going to my my first town committee meeting this evening. Without Twitter, I’d probably still be reading the HuffingtonPost saying “I’d like to become involved… at some point”.
<
p>Now I am getting involved. I would never have known that I could have made calls from home for Capuano and later Coakley without Twitter. I would never have been motivated to get involved without the community of Mass Dems on Twitter. Heck, John Walsh was telling me to get rid of Progressive for my car insurance yesterday, on Twitter. Not quite #walshgate,but where else is there such informal, open conversation? When it comes closer the primaries, things will get more exciting. I look forward to working beyond my home phone and Twitter this fall, but I would never have been comfortable to do that without my experience on Twitter.
<
p>I give Twitter two thumbs up!
Great story! Welcome to the Massachusetts Democratic Community.
<
p>Thanks for signing up for the Dispatch and following me. I’ll send you last week’s Dispatch.
<
p>Did you go to your caucus? Are you going to he a delegate? If not, are you familiar with the add-on process?
<
p>Kate
Thanks for the welcome. I’m happy to be here.
<
p>I became aware of the caucus system a few days before the Scituate caucus. I was planning to run for delegate and apply as a youth add-on if necessary. Unfortunately, I had some car trouble and was unable to make the caucus in time.
<
p>I’m looking forward to the meeting this evening, and intend to apply as a youth add-on. I’m not too familiar with how that process works, but I hope to learn some tonight.