Something about Twitter is different to other social technologies. I always thought that it was the standardisation of the data packet which encouraged developers to experiment. But it turns out it is the way people can control its role in their lives that makes it different. It demands no more of us than we are prepared to give it. We can tune it to deliver the content we are interested in. We learn who is good at sending us things we like to look at. Having tuned our signal we get some really good stuff. Twitter now delivers more of this content within the feed which is surely a recognition that it is a personalised publisher.
The epg is one of the most powerful differentiators for broadcasters. You need only look at some of the epg’s which TV manufacturers have developed for Freeview and the digital switchover. Toshiba’s is criminal and will be its downfall within the domestic TV market. Contrast this with Sky or Virgin who invest significant sums to perfect their epg and recognise the commercial value of this expertise for broadcasters.
So if Twitter is the epg for the internet its value is huge. Consider Google as your partner in helping you find stuff you know you want. Twitter is your partner in helping you find stuff you don’t know you want. It helps us choose the people to entrust that job to and listen to what they have to share. It is perhaps our essential editor.
