I've been a member of Facebook for years now (I'm old, remember?) and have gone through periods of addiction and obsession (usually during finals and midterms). Had someone suggested to me six months ago that Twitter was equally valuable, I would have laughed obnoxiously, then posted a passive-aggressive status about the lameness of Twitter and the people who love it.
However, things have changed for me. I originally set up a Twitter account as part of an Introduction to Internet class I took in my first year of university, but I didn't really use it. I may like to rant in a weekly column, but I honestly don't think I have enough random thoughts and observations to really make an interesting Twitter feed. This past spring, I tentatively resumed using Twitter again, spurred by my sister's involvement and clear love for Twitter.
Nearly half a year later, and I'm torn between my first love Facebook and the new kid on the block, Twitter. Both offer me nearly unlimited stalking opportunities, which I really value in my social media. Beyond that, they seem to be very similar and it's tough to pick a favourite.
For one, both Twitter and Facebook allow easy picture sharing. Both are very immediate with this, especially when one has a smart phone and has downloaded those convenient little apps. However, Facebook does allow the posting of albums, which are super nice when you need to document your sloppy weekends. Definitely classy and great for employers who want to know about your keg stand abilities. I can't decide if this really is a positive quality - call it a draw?
Twitter and Facebook easily allow people to share what's on their minds. This is great for people who make witty, clever or funny observations about their daily lives or the world around them. However, this also allows the moron you sat beside in Math 20 to spam you with non-stop "my life is so awesome/pathetic/annoying" updates assuming you accept his/her friend requests or decide to follow him/her, for some reason. At least Facebook gives you the option to hide updates from the friends you don't want to constantly read about.
Facebook and Twitter make it easy to know your favourite celebrities. I love waking up to recording updates or sound bites from my favourite musicians, or seeing the cool costumes and make-up of awesome actors. It definitely makes them seem more relatable. I think Twitter is best for this, because Facebook forces you to read all the garbage other less-cool-than-you fans have posted on the artist's wall, which is a downer. Of course, both media leave room for fake accounts that fool unsuspecting fans. And there's the added threat of learning that your favourite reality star is an idiot, because without a PR person or producer breathing down her throat, she is able to tweet all of the useless garbage she so often thinks. I guess that Twitter and Facebook have downsides in this area.
Clearly Twitter and Facebook are awesome. They allow us to be super egotistical and often creepy with few repercussions. It's going to take me a long time to choose a personal favourite, though it's unlikely that I'll ever commit to using just one. Maybe there'll be a super social media in the future that somehow makes them both obsolete? Guess we'll see. Maybe this is a stupid thing to spend time dwelling on? Most definitely.
Tonaya would love to hear your take on the irrelevant Twitter vs. Facebook debate. E-mail her at tonaya.marr@gmail.com or maybe even follow her on Twitter @tellemarr. She promises not to spam you with annoying nonsense. Most of the time, at least.
