What is Twitter?

By now you have probably heard of the social networking site Twitter. Founded in 2006, Twitter is a social media platform that lets you share messages with online 'followers.' Unlike Facebook, Twitter posts are restricted to 140 characters only, meaning that for the most part messages are short and to the point. Twitter has been embraced by businesses and celebrities as a way to interact directly with customers and fans. We even have a library twitter account!

One of the most popular uses for Twitter to keep up with you favorite celebrities or television shows. You can see behind-the-scenes photos, candid shots of the celebrities and even ask them questions. (There's no guarantee that they'll see or respond, of course) One of my personal favorite twitter trends is television actors "live-tweeting" episodes. Which means when an episode airs the stars of show watch it and tweet interesting facts about filming the episode.



You don't have to be into to celebrities to enjoy Twitter. It also allows you to keep up with breaking news - both locally and internationally. You can be get the headlines as they happen on your twitter account. In fact, some people choose not to post at all, instead using Twitter as a way to stay current.


If you do choose to post, you don't have to let everyone one see it. Like Facebook and other social networking sites, Twitter allows you to make your account private. This means you decide who can see your tweets. Another way to keep people from reading your posts is to block them. This means they cannot see your posts or contact you directly.

Twitter can be used on your computer, smartphone or tablet via the web or by downloading an app.

Do you use Twitter? What is your favorite thing about it?

The Internet can be a scary place, especially when you're a parent thinking of your kids being online. Between social media, games and, yes, even researching school work, most kids these days spend a great deal of time online. So how can you help keep them safe?

The biggest safety tip for parents is to be aware of what your kids are doing online. Do you know the sites the visit? Or the people they talk to? Do you know the things they post? Just like with real life, it is important to know where your kids are hanging out and who they're spending time with online. According to the McAfee Digital Deceptions study in 2013

Twitter is different compared to other social networking sites. In saying that, take a look at our comparison chart.

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What to take from this interview…

· Twitter is easier than other social networking sites and also does not require as much information as others.
· There are many cell phones apps for Twitter. Some companies charge for downloading and using their app so shop carefully.
· The Twitter Language is very important to know. There are e-book as well as library book about Twitter. Read those books to help familiarize you with Twitter.
· To protect yourself, use a different username and password for all of your social networking sites. A lot of people use the same email/password combination for all of their accounts. This is not safe and could make it easier for a hacker to get into your accounts.

It’s hard to rate a social networking site because so many people have their own opinions. In saying that, we are going to compare Facebook to some of the popular social networking sites that are available to you.



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Here is a follow up on a few things Mrs. McEntee mentioned in the interview. When she was answering the second questions, she said something about using her iPod Touch to connect to Facebook. In the blog we talked about some cell phones, especially smart phones, having a Facebook app available to download. The iPod Touch is not an iPhone, but can use the same apps as the iPhone. In saying that, the iPod Touch can download and use the Facebook app. Mrs. McEntee also mentioned privacy settings towards the end of the interview. We had a patron ask about privacy settings. Here is the Q/A:

"I just got finished listening to the "Tech Tuesday" interview, she mentioned something about privacy settings like "Friends Only". I have noticed this on my FB account, what do those different settings mean? I use the "Everyone" setting a lot."

When posting a message on Facebook, you have a few options as to who can read the message. The option "Everyone" allows everyone on the Internet to see your message. For instance, if you select "Everyone" when posting a message about the Bossier Parish Library System, there is a good chance that your message could end up in a search engine. This is Facebook's way of making your messages public. This is good if you are promoting a website or event, but not so good when talking about your employer or a family member. The other option mentioned is the "Friends Only." This means only your friends can view your messages.

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Facebook is a social networking site that started out strictly for college students and was available by invitation only. Now, it is a cultural phenomenon stretching across the globe. Facebook has taken hold as the undisputable leader amongst social networking sites. With that title come great demands from users. Some of those demands are for great features, and Facebook offers that. Some examples of Facebook features are, posting pictures, videos, starting discussions, commenting on others pictures, and writing on your friend’s wall. Facebook is free to us for anyone over the age of 13; all you need is an email address to get started.

Facebook can be accessed on your laptop, netbook, desktop or cell phone. Speaking of cell phones, most phones, especially smart phones, have an app you can download to enable Facebook on your phone. You may ask, “Why do I need Facebook on my phone?” I say why not? Having Facebook on your phone allows you to keep in contact with your friends and family 24/7. Besides, most people post what’s going on in life on Facebook before their best friends know.

So, I guess the big question is, “Why should I choose Facebook over the other numerous social networks available to me?” In my opinion, Facebook is more modern and safer than other social networking sites. All Facebook profiles come with a standard white and blue skin (the background of your profile) that is not customizable. This allows pages to load faster, fewer distractions when trying to read my friend’s profile and it gives profiles a more sophisticated look. Also, some Facebook doesn’t carry as many viruses as the other social sites. Facebook was also one of the first social networking sites to have instant messaging, which allows for instant conversation with friends and family. Facebook is the most popular social networking site (http://www.ebizmba.com/). Did you know that Facebook has 400 milion active users and Facebook.com claims 50% of FB users log on daily? What does this mean? Chances are someone you know is on Facebook and keeping in contact with them couldn’t be much easier. With so many friends and family on Facebook, the Christmas card as we know it could eventually fade. Why; (if I may borrow a line from AT&T) “there’s an app for that.” So the big question is; Are you on Facebook?

Don't forget, tomorrow on "Tech Tuesday" we will interview Heather McEntee, Assistant Director of the Bossier Parish Library System on her experiences on Facebook. Until next time, happy teching!