Practicum #7 - Jana Levinson

After using Twitter multiple times a day throughout the entire semester, I have realized that this social networking site is a prime example of Web 2.0. By allowing users to freely participate and consume information from other users, Twitter has created a democratization of the media that has enabled architecture of participation. Unlike in Web 1.0 where individuals could only merely consumer information over the Internet, the Twitter website is designed for users to contribute their thoughts, feelings and general information to the system. Following the characteristics of a 2.0 website, Twitter is designed to enable everyone to have an equal say and creates social connections between users. There is more interactivity between users rather than consumption in which people can respond to one another.

New Internet technologies such as Twitter have created new cultural practices in society. For example, before the Web 2.0 culture emerged, individuals were solely able to find out news through print media, television, radio, Internet news sites, and word of mouth from direct witnesses. With the rise of websites such as Twitter, breaking news can now be relayed even faster. Many people now go directly to Twitter to update other individuals on news that they have heard or witnessed. Although Twitter was not as popular as it is now when this occurred, many individuals initially found out about the plane landing on the Hudson via Twitter.

One of the main reasons that I really enjoy Twitter is because of this aspect of being able to find out news. Because I do not read the newspaper, magazines or check online news sites very often, Twitter provides me with a way to still keep up with current events. I follow sources such as The New York Times, CNN, IMDb and Rolling Stone that update me on different aspects of daily culture. While IMDb and Rolling stone are the sources that provide more information about pop culture, The New York Times and CNN twitters offer more news. For example, I found out via Twitter that through one of The New York Time’s “News Alert” tweets that Madoff’s son commit suicide the other day. Without Twitter, I probably would have found out through word of mouth at a later date.