Social Media over 50 - Twitter

Twitter? What is it? Basically it is a two-way communication platform used by people to push out interesting (and not so interesting) ideas

, updates and "news" in 140 characters or less. Yes, that's it - 140 characters to get your idea out to the people that follow you, or not!

Those first two paragraphs look strange but they are two separate Tweets. That’s your limit and they are open to the entire world by default.  You personally may want to change that setting to protected so that you are only posting to friends and family.

But why limit yourself to 140 characters when you have to send Tweet after Tweet just to get your info out there?  It is the immediacy, the “right now” of Twitter and the worlds need for “sound bites” that makes the Twitter platform useful and interesting.

You will quickly learn to use acronyms or abbreviations. A helpful list can be found here. A funny but sometimes very important list for us “old” folks can be found here.

For now just dive in and have fun! There are many interesting people with interesting stories out there (not me necessarily) to follow.  Look for me in the twittersphere under the moniker @mrrockford.

As Don Mills says in The Problem with Young People Today is…,

But for now, I need sustenance and rest – IMHO, IRL and then GFN. (I may have oatmeal, imbibe rye liberally and then go for nap.)

Until next time - Safer Surfing!

Social Media over 50

What are all these kids talking about?  Twitter, Meerkat, Periscope, Snapchat, Vine - what the hell are they and what can I do with them as an old fart?  Well .... that's a very good question so let's talk about them in general and as time goes on we can delve deeper and see if any of them are something you might enjoy.

Let's start with Twitter. It's been around for a while now and lets you share your thoughts, ideas and pictures in 140 characters or less.  Simple.

Now the 2 new streaming apps available, Meerkat and Periscope.  Simply put they allow you to share your life and ideas about whatever you want to discuss with the whole world. LIVE! You can broadcast as long as you want to the world.  Start the app and start sharing.  Of course you will need a Twitter account to get going.

Snapchat, the 6 second movie.  Record your thoughts, actions (or that drunk cousin at the family get together), post to your followers and they get to see it and then POOF! it's gone.

Vine, no it's not that nasty plant on your fence, it is another 6 second movie but alas it is semi-permanent.  It sticks around until you grow older and more embarrassed or until you decide to delete it.

So what can you do with these different apps?  That's up to you and how involved you want to be.  You can just sit there and watch the world go by or you can jump in and participate.  Use them to share your point of view, use them to educate, use them to have fun.

Until next time - Safer Surfing!