Conversations or Confrontations

When Tweeter first caught the fancy of netizens, many quickly subscribed to the idea of sharing the most trivial, mundane things about life and the world in 140 characters or less. Whether one was drinking coffee at Starbucks, waiting for a SIA flight or going to bed after watching ”CSI New York”, tweetizens were sharing posts and messages that made the microblogging site a growing phenomena. Many celebrities welcomed Twitter as a promotional medium that kept fans updated of their personal and professional lives. It was fun and quick way to communicate with fans. A novelty.

But today, tweets have gone beyond conversation of one to the world. It has become a battleground. Many celebrities and personalities to are losing control of their emotions and letting go of rants and angst against friend, foe or even fans.

Many of us remember Demi Moore from the classic movie, “Ghost” and even "St. Elmo's Fire," "A Few Good Men" and Charlie’s Angels.” And her famous cover in "Vanity Fair" when she was pregnant! Through Tweeter, she has called out for help, in behalf of the victims of Tyhoon Ondoy. Other celebrities who have appealed for help include Ricky Martin, Josh Groban, Allysa Milano and even Paris Hilton.

These days, she speaks her mind out against gossip blogger Perez Hilton who has criticized her about her parenting skills.

Remember Kanye West stealing the limelight from Taylor Swift during the MTV Video Music Awards. He received angry tweets and blog postings from other celebrities and fans.

Last March, Mark Cuban was fined UD$25K by the NBA after he questioned and tweeted about officiating.



Microblogging sites is changing the communicatons landscape. And presents a challenge for communications practitioners who work with celebrities and personalities who use this technology to express rant and rage. It is like a gun, lock and loaded with 140 characters, that celebrities with little or no control over the emotions can fire at anytime, in real time, 24/7 across twitterverse.


Celebrities need to exercise restraint in social media, specially, since they have an image and reputation to protect and maintain. Picking up a fight on Tweeter is more dangerous. It will only serve to aggravate any grievance or grudge. And chances, it gets you coverage on CNN and E News. But isn’t that really bad publicity. Do remember what T. Scott Fitzgerald said, "You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say."

Tweets have really changed how people communicate. Still, despite changing technology, wouldn’t it be nicer to just call and talk to that person rather than hide behind our mobile devices? It is really much better to get back to old fashioned, less tech-driven face-to-face conversation. Or even a just a phone call.

Otherwise, follow Miley Cyrus who has joined the “Qweeters.” Miley leaves behind nearly 2.2 million followers, which includes her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus. Now, it's back to achy, breaky, heart?

Technology and the Bayanihan spirit

During the long nights and days, many Filipinos stranded in their flooded homes and streets around Metro Manila remain connected with their families and friends through the Internet, specifically, mobile technology.

And within the 12 hours when Typhoon Ondoy pounded the metropolis with the heaviest rain in 42 years, people remain connected through their mobile phones and the Internet. Many of us probably don't recall Typhoon Yoling?

Calls for help and rescue were posted around the web. Many bloggers posted contact details of rescue groups, media organizations, schools and other groups helping out. All these Filipinos were responding to the cries of help of many Filipinos, stranded, specifically, in the high-priority areas like Marikina, Pasig and Cainta.

Through sms, am sure thousands of messages crossed the Smart, Globe and Sun networks. People were asking and updating their friends and family of their status. Sending photos of flooded areas. Buzzing news media for “on the spot” reports of flooding and rescue operations.

Facebook users updated friends, family and followers of their status. Many who were stuck in traffic and in school used Facebook to inform others of their status. Users shared stories of heroism and courage.

Hundreds of Thomasians, which included my friend, Noelle el Farol, were stranded inside UST during that weekend. Being stranded didn’t really cut you off from the outside world. Micro-blogging sites like Twitter and Plurk brought out news and updates in a few words. And authorities learned of other places like Pinagbuhatan, Pasig that remained flooded days after the weekend.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of stories to share about how technology worked during these recent days. And many of these stories have been aired by ABS-CBN and GMA, and published in the online editions of major newpapers like the Inquirer. Kudos for being quick to report and bring the news in real-time!

Maybe, during times of crisis and emergencies, mobile phone companies can provide extra services like free real time news updates and even, give free airtime to prepaid subscribers?

Yes, it helped many to be connected even amidst the floods and let people we cared for know how we were doing, if we were safe or needed rescue.

Yes, it helped us identify flooded streets and avoid these streets. With our mobile phones, technology helped keep us company for hours as traffic didn't move in many streets. Many sent tweets while on the road.

Yes, it gave information on which numbers to call to volunteer our time and energy and know where to send our donations. Hundreds of volunteers responded to these calls for help and went to schools, homes and even warehouses to help pack relief goods.

But most of all, through technology, the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos worked in many amazing ways that helped saved lives.

Blogger at 10

Belated Happy birthday, Blogger!

According to the Official Google Blog, when Google acquired Blogger in February of 2003, there were about 250,000 visitors per month. Today, more than 300 million!

The blogging phenomena has grown and risen beyond expectations of many internet enthusiasts and media experts. Am not a social media expert, but in the course of the story, tentatively titled, “The Business of Blogging” for the Philippine Business Magazine, I have realized many insights about this blogging phenomena!

While I knew that Blogger had been acquired by Google in 2003, I learned that Evan Williams, one of co-founders of Blogger, is now with Twitter! Really a small industry.

I shall discovered that Justine Hall is recognized by the New York Times Magazine as "the founding father of personal blogging."

The Official Google Blog says, "Blogs are a global self-publishing phenomenon that connect Internet users with dynamic, diverse points of view while also enabling comment and participation." We're proud that Blogger continues to be a force for free expression worldwide and that it is growing quickly despite its maturity. In the past two years alone, the number of people contributing to a blog has more than doubled, and every second of every day, a new blog is created on Blogger.

As part of a series of “birthday presents” to users, an application called “Blogpress” developed by InfoThinker can be used on one’s iPhone. Now, that brings blogging to more connectivity on the road. For me, with still an expensive costs of mobile connectivity, Globe Visibility and a cold Starbucks Mocha Frappe works well.

Again, happy birthday Blogger! You continue to change the way the world thinks and share life’s experiences!

Twitter on the court?

Shaq with 2.1 million followers is probably the biggest user of Twitter among the NBA players. Even the NBA has its own Twitter account with more than 1 million followers. But can you imagine an NBA player, sitting on the bench and sending out tweets as the game is in progress? It has been done before.

And now NBA commissioner David Stern is following the lead of the NFL and will soon issue guidelines on how professional players use social media tools inside and outside a game. NFL had recently announced its guidelines on the use of social media. It now prohibits players, coaches and football operations personnel from using social media networks like Twitter and Facebook 90 minutes before kickoff to the end of traditional media interviews after games. And NFL game officials are banned from using social media at all times. ESPN is also developing stricter guidelines.

According to a Yahoo! Sports story, Stern says, “Obviously, there is a happy medium between tweeting before the game and tweeting from our bench during the game.”

Stern says players need to stay focused on their game. “It would look unusual for a guy sitting on the bench to pick up his cell phone, and I think we can agree that he probably shouldn’t be writing e-mails. It’s not about Twitter; it’s about the line of communication. That’s what we’re focusing on.”

Yes, Twitter and other social media platforms help players connect to fans, but using these tools during games is definitely taboo! And if I was a coach, I would also restrict mobile phones in the locker rooms or on the bench. Like students inside a classroom, players need to focus and concentrate on their game. That is already tough with thousands of screaming fans.

Already, players and even coaches are on YouTube, facebook and Twitter. They all videos and profiles which keep fans updated. And they are just like you and me, fascinated on how technoloft works, in real time, 24/7.

There is always the right time and place for technology to work. And the court or the bench isn’t one of these places. You are either looking to get fired or get benched throughout the season!

Twitting from Tehran

With the government media censorship and crackdown on Iranian protestors and Internet sites, Iranian are finding ways and means to get news and images out to the world. Photo by AFP/Mehdi Fedouach.

The government has blocked many sites. Facebook and YouTube are being monitored. Service is reportedly much slower than normal. Even mobile phone service has been affected. Slower service provides the opportunity for security forces and the police increased ability to filter data. Note Iran's telecommunications industry is a monopoly.

Remote proxy servers have been set up so Iranians can access blocked websites from inside their country. Other Internet companies and individuals around the world have stepped in and maximizing technology to help Iranians communicate and organize.

Twitter users are using an application that allows users to tint their profile pictures green. Not the La Salle color but the trademark color of the opposition. This application was developed by a man from Israel. In fact, Twitter re-scheduled maintenance shutdown so that users could continue to access the microblogging site.


Other Twitter users outside Iran have also shown support by changing their listed locations and time zones to Tehran. This is meant to make it more difficult to see just how many people were tweeting from Iran. Photo was uploaded on Twitter last June 21, 2009.

Mousavi’s Facebook account now has 66,000 supporters who have organized protests through his public page.

Google's video sharing site, YouTube, has seen an increase of video that relates to the Tehran crisis. Try searching for "Iran election protest" video and see how many results you will get. CNN’s iReport gets news video from Iranians on the streets.

Both Google and Facebook have responded to the need for Iranians to be able to to communicate in their own language. They have launched Farsi services. There are more Farsi speakers working on translations on Facebook. Farsi also refers to the Persian language. It refers to the language spoken in Iran.

I remember back in February 1986, on my when Filipinos marched and protested in EDSA against the rule of the late Ferdinand Marcos. News spread fast through radio and pagers. Now, Blackberries and Twitter help spread the message and news. Definitely, more proof that technology works for people, specially, for Iranians, who are calling for change.

Twitter works for a Queen

Twitter? Have received a few invitations to join Twitter. But still have resisted. Maybe, I refuse to be over connected. With Facebook, Yahoo! Mail and Messenger and Friendster, do I still another way to get connected with family and friends?

Photo shows Jordan's Queen Rania, wife of King Abdullah II, greets Pope Benedict XVI (R) upon his arrival at the Queen Alia International airport in Amman.

More recently, a queen used Twitter. Yup, according to WiredPR News, Queen Rania of Jordan sent out tweets to her followers about Pope Benedict XVI's first ever visit to an Arab country last Friday.

Here is a sample of her tweets:

"Just listened to Pope's speech. Our region so needs a message of Peace."

"Special day here in Amman; not everyday pope drop s by 4 a visit."

Photo of Pope Benedict XVI from by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images.

The Queen’s office had announced earlier that the queen decided to register on the Internet social network Twitter on the site http://twitter.com/QueenRania The office said that this done to mark Pope Benedict VI’s first-ever visit to the Middle East.

Who started Twitter? Jack Dorsey. He is an American software architect who started Twitter back in 2006.

Today, according a Nielsen.com blog (Michelle McGiboney: "Twitter's Tweet Smell of Success" March 2009), Twitter is ranked as the fastest-growing site in the Member Communities category for February 2009, followed by Zimbio and Facebook. But it’s retention rate is very high. An article “Many Twitters are quick quitters: study" published April 29, 2009 says many users drop the service after a month. And Twitter has experienced a few outages. Well, Twitter ain’t perfect technology yet.

What are tweets? Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. This can be displayed on the user's profile page and sent to other users who have subscribed to them.

Will I go on Twitter? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe, before Pope Benedict visit the Philippines?