by Debbie Todd

Created on: November 02, 2009   Last Updated: November 26, 2009

With recent revelations that Twitter is being used by so many establishment figures (Gordon Brown's wife, for example and numerous politicians and establishment figures), is the website now in danger of being labelled "uncool"? Twitter is being used by businesses and corporations, also in the UK by local authorities and government groups. All of a sudden, everybody is "tweeting". Local authorities all seem to follow neighbouring local authorities and use their "tweets" for self-promotional purposes and to announce what a good service they think they provide. That may be seriously uncool, but the very cool aspect of this, is that any other user of Twitter can post a reply and the local authority will have no control over that. It is quite possible to post quite a subversive reply to these bodies that are using Twitter to blow their own trumpets - this is an online form of democracy in action - it gives power and a voice to the man on the street. Any derogatory replies made to official announcements on Twitter will be seen by all the followers of the "tweeter" who made the original announcement.

Another cool aspect of Twitter is the amount of "tweeters" who are seriously techie! These "tweeters" will usually post links to websites that are discussing the most happening aspects of technology (such as Mashable, the Social Media Guide website) and Mobile Cloud ( a cloud computing news and information software provider). The cool thing on the internet at the moment seems to be mashable applications. All of a sudden, people are obsessed with linking up all of their social networking websites and all of these websites are providing buttons that will allow the user to do so easily and with little technical knowhow. All of these developments and applications are being reported on Twitter on a minute-by-minute basis.

Many of the coolest bands, musicians and DJ's are also using Twitter (some on a daily basis) in order to publicise themselves and also to let their fans and followers have up to date news on them. As soon as one of these users post a "tweet", any one of their fans can make a direct and instant response. How cool is that! Although Facebook seems to be the social networking website of choice for the younger generation, bands, musicians and celebrities tend to have Fan Pages on this website, rather than an interactive function as on Twitter. In other words, you can become a fan of a celebrity on Facebook, but you will not be able to send a message to that celebrity via the website - you would just be allowed to post on the discussion forums of the fan page where you would be interacting with other fans. When celebrities are using Twitter, their fans can send them a direct message, see who they are following and also read all of their "tweets".

Then there are the Twitter "uber-celebrities" such as Stephen Fry - people whose "tweets" can make the national news and practically "break" the Twitter website for a while. Or Ashton Kutcher, billed as the world's most popular "tweeter".

Business news websites these days are full of articles that are either about Twitter, or mention Twitter. Most of the new social media websites will link to Twitter as will all the newest iPhone applications.

While Twitter may have become mainstream and, as a result, seem uncool, there is nothing uncool in having the intellectual nous to consistently come up with excellent "tweets" under the 140 character rule.

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