Twitter’s New Role: A Societal Seismograph
The recent appointment of a Chief Scientist at Twitter is poised to provide invaluable insights into the platform’s rapidly changing dynamics. The objective? To understand and chronicle the ever-evolving behavior and activities of its global users.
Robert Scoble, in a recent interaction, shared the idea of Twitter bringing on board a digital anthropologist or sociologist. Such a position could offer a nuanced perspective, going beyond raw data to observing and understanding the cultural shifts and ebbs within this vast online society. The goal is to not only participate in its metamorphosis but also to actively influence it.
Twitter’s announcement about this year’s top trends underlines the platform’s role as a societal barometer. The trending topics, whether we resonate with them or not, undeniably reflect the pulse of popular global interest.
2009: A Year in Review Through Twitter’s Lens
A trip down memory lane to 2009 showcases Twitter’s capacity to capture global sentiments. Amidst a myriad of topics, the Iranian elections emerged as a focal point of user engagement. The terms #iranelection, Iran, and Tehran prominently featured among the top trending topics, with #iranelection almost overtaking the ubiquitous #musicmonday.
Snapshot: Twitter Trends of 2009
News Events
- #iranelection
- Swine Flu
- Gaza
- Iran
- Tehran
- #swineflu
- AIG
- #uksnow
- Earth Hour
- #inaug09
People
- Michael Jackson
- Susan Boyle
- Adam Lambert
- Kobe Bryant
- Chris Brown
- Chuck Norris
- Joe Wilson
- Tiger Woods
- Christian Bale
- A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez)
Movies
- Harry Potter
- New Moon
- District 9
- Paranormal Activity
- Star Trek
- True Blood
- Transformers 2
- Watchmen
- Slumdog Millionaire
- G.I. Joe
TV Shows
- American Idol
- Glee
- Teen Choice Awards
- SNL (Saturday Night Live)
- Dollhouse
- Grey’s Anatomy
- VMAS (Video Music Awards)
- #bsg (Battlestar Galatica)
- BET Awards
- Lost
Sports (Teams, Events, Leagues)
- Super Bowl
- Lakers
- Wimbledon
- Cavs (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Superbowl
- Chelsea
- NFL
- UFC 100
- Yankees
- Liverpool
Technology
- Google Wave
- Snow Leopard
- Tweetdeck
- Windows 7
- CES
- Palm Pre
- Google Latitude
- #E3
- #amazonfail
- Macworld
Hash Tags
- #musicmonday
- #iranelection
- #sxsw
- #swineflu
- #nevertrust
- #mm
- #rememberwhen
- #3drunkwords
- #unacceptable
- #iwish
The Bigger Picture
In essence, Twitter, much like a seismograph, captures the world’s heartbeat during significant events. Its archives offer a tapestry of global emotions, reactions, and sentiments, painting a vivid picture of our shared history and common future.
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