Poll: Will Your Mom & Dad Ever Use Twitter?
We've been very bullish on Twitter here at ReadWriteWeb. We named it our Best Web LittleCo of 2007, because it "has captured the imagination and become a new hybrid of chat, social networking and blogging." Twitter also received the Best mobile start-up award at the Crunchies in January. And as RWW's Josh Catone pointed out recently, Twitter has become a platform for serious media discourse. But even with all these accolades, the fact remains: Twitter is still largely used by geeks. Are your family members using it? If so, what for?
I've already asked this question on Twitter itself and am getting some great responses (my Twitter id is rww). Several people have suggested that their family members may use a Twitter-like messaging system embedded in a social network. On this point, Andrew Baisley noted that "the barrier to entry must be much lower". However, said Andrew, if family members "could update Twitter from their Facebook status" then yes it might be used.
What do you think? Participate in our poll below and leave a comment if you wish. p.s. thanks Polldaddy for the flash-looking new poll!
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I have tough time still selling Twitter to "geeks" who you'd think would be more apt to use it. There is a misconception as to what benefit it provides. Routinely I hear back "Who cares what someone is doing! Do I really need to know what someone is having for lunch?" Until the benefits of Twitter are more widely understood I don't see it expanding beyond the current circle of social media savvy geeks.
My parents are of an age where they'll never even touch a computer, so Twitter is right out.
More interestingly, though, is I doubt that either of my kids (both in their twenties, one a linux geek the other a mac type) will ever touch it either -- they don't see the utility, compared to IM, Facebook, and similar platforms.
Somebody pointed out the other day (can't remember who) that there don't seem to be many teen/twenty somethings going to Twitter, and I think they may be right; whatever they're getting in their social platforms, Twitter doesn't seem to have.
Me, I live on the silly thing.
My parents are right into technology, well at least my dad is anyway. Getting him onto a computer and encoding his records is one thing thought. Getting him into the social networks and even twitter.
Not anytime soon, I guess the real point is that there is no benefit for them. No one they know uses it :)
Can't see any of my friends/relatives getting into Twitter, say nothing of parents. I have maybe three true geek friends that use it to a degree.
I tried this out on my extended family, who are used to using a Yahoo-group style email list (this has been mastered by all members under 70).
Only one person figured out how to use it, and that person was confused.
I believe wider adoption would be a snap if an 'email-like' alternative interface were allowed. As long as the old foagies can hit reply-all, and use the familiar metaphor, they will be able to use it.
BTW, my mother calls it 'my blog' and doesn't understand the difference between blogging and micro-blogging. The blog-fearful will not be using this one, without the additional metaphor of email. By contrast, the under 20 crowd will simply see it as an extension of texting.
Who cares if they will or what they do really. Too much focus on the boomers. Some will, some won't.
I don't think Twitter is entirely defined by age.
"However, said Andrew, if family members "could update Twitter from their Facebook status" then yes it might be used."
You can. Facebook statuses have an RSS feed and Twitterfeed can forward that on to Twitter.
Go to your profile. Click on the icon next to a status update in your mini-feed. Second last item on the right is "My Status" -- that's your RSS feed.
Then go to twitterfeed.com and follow the instructions on setting up accounts and feeds.
No.
But, what's interesting is that my entire family stays more in touch using instant messengers than with phone calls. My mom just got a new MotoQ after using mine and loves to take photos and email them and chat on messenger from it... but twitter any other similar services just arent that appealing to my folks. I dont blame them, Im not a fan either.
Why? What 'problem' does it solve in the means of communication? Things have value when they solve problems.
No one in my family or any of my close friends use twitter. I tried drawing my brother and best friend in, but they both tweeted once and quit. I'm in edtech and I have a huge community of like-minded people that I follow and vice versa, but I wouldn't be able to use it with my family or social circle (physical) b/c no one is willing/able. I'm the geek of the bunch! I'm kolson29 on twitter, btw.
My 16 y/o daughter thinks Twitter's really interesting, but for her the Universe is still all about texting and MySpace and Facebook. Same goes for my older son.
But I figure that at some point, when they join a larger community -- something beyond friending and hot-or-not, a little more about ideas -- they could totally see the value in Twitter. I am a fan. And a mom.
My mom lives in the middle of nowhere and is definitely online. Granted, I get to be her one woman "tech support" (and there is a LOT of tech support), but she Twitters, Cre8Buzzes, MySpaces, FaceBooks, Blogs, uses eBay, etc. She doesn't understand all of it, or how it works, but she loves the connection. I have a harder time getting her not to be so trusting than I do getting her to try new things.
My Mom is 83. (I'm 56) She uses the computer a lot - email, Google, and keeping up with my Twitter. She lives in Dallas, TX. I live in the Philippines. She keeps telling me over and over how much she appreciates being able to keep up with me through my Twitters.
I don't twitter, usually, for my Mom. I almost never think about her monitoring it. But sometimes I'll specifically post something there knowing she'll see it -- saving an email and allowing a bunch of other people to see it too.
But I can't get her to Twitter herself. She lives in a retirement complex and stays very actively socially. I'd love to know what she's up to; what's going on in her live. I have to wait for email - which isn't quite the same.
So with my Mom, Twitter is in half-duplex mode essentially. But the half that is in use is in tremendously effective.
Although I've been using Twitter and do understand it's benefit beyond telling my friends what I'm having for dinner, somehow I keeping thinking it's nothing more than a fad.
Well, my parents, as of a couple days now, ARE Twittering. They're on a 3 month trip across the US and I helped them set up an account at @regularnavy to update us on their progress. Here's the thing though, re. the geekism: until and unless Twitter makes its way off of the geeky planetoid, it remains of marginal use. Journalists have started to use it and, with respect, @baghdadbrian and @newmediajim are THE most interesting of my Twitter buddies. I tried to find poets (shudder - mistake) and tried to find professors and archaeologiest and couldn't. That made it less interesting to me. Which is a disappointment indeed. I think Twitter is fantastic. I love it. But I can only read so much menu-izing and even less web app porno. I HOPE specific subject specialists will see the value in it and give me the kind of updates that engage in serious boat-floating.
Twitter?!? I can't even get my father to use email.
My Mother and my Father-In-Law are both on twitter. Infact many of the people who I have told of twitter and who love it are over 40 and NOT Geeks.
"What are you doing right now" is one of the core reasons people use Twitter, at least it is for me and my family.
"What are you doing right now" is one of the core reasons people use Social Networks***, at least it is for me and my family.
Woops.
Retired folk and Twitter don't mix well. I already get enough spam from my Dad.
I should have added that far the most interesting use is for parents to see what their kids are doing, i.e., passive consumption of tweets.
That suggests a 'mother hen' application that 'let's me track all my chicks.' would have some appeal. However, it would have to be flexible on the input presence side.
I'm the non-geek family member using Twitter thanks to my geek son and daughter-in-law. I LOVE it. Opens up all kinds of areas of interest for me. Dont' think I'll get my non-geek husband to use though. Keep Twittering!