danah's Twitter Questions

danah's asking. I'm answering.

First, the practical question. Can i quote you?
[ X] Yes, and you *must* use my real name.

[ ] Yes, but please use a pseudonym and don't use any identifying information.
[ ] No, please just use this for your own weird thoughts.

1. Why do you use Twitter? What do you like/dislike about it?

Twitter keeps me connected. Connected to my friends near and far. Connected to people in ways I wasn't before. Via Twitter, some people I would've considered merely online acquaintances, I now consider full-fledged friends. Via Twitter, I stay invested in people's lives.

That said, it sometimes feels a little too present. And, when it's broken? Baby, I'm frustrated.

2. Who do you think is reading your Tweets? Is this the audience you want? Why/why not? Tell me anything you think of relating to the audience for your Tweets.

I'm private so I know who is following me: Friends, SXSWers and Blog readers that don't freak me out.

3. How do you read others' Tweets? Do you read all of them? Who do you read/not read and why? Do you know them all?

I only have 52 friends on twitter and mostly I read everyone but I only truly pay attention to what my friends are saying. I know about 90% of the people I follow.

4. What content do you think is appropriate for a Tweet? What is inappropriate? Have you ever found yourself wanting to Tweet and then deciding against it? Why?

I don't tweet much about other people. I try not to have conversations. I tweet physical, mental, and emotional states most of the time or ask questions or answer questions.

I try hard not to talk too much about work or work specifics on twitter and I try not to vent too hardcore there either. It might feel like private chat but it isn't.

5. Are your Tweets public? Why/why not? How do you feel about people you don't know coming across them? What about people you do know?

I'm private. See answer #4. People who know me need only join twitter for access. People who don't, get the gas face.

6. What do i need to know about why Twitter is/is not working for you or your friends?

I think twitter should explain better the risks of turning on text messaging with the service. I'd like to be able to target messages to reply to but, other than that, I think it works well for my peoples.

Bonus: Twitter Grammar Tips.