Summary
This book argues that Twitter is an emergent global communications medium shaping contemporary life, presenting the first scholarly engagement with the platform. It draws a historical line from the telegraph to Twitter to analyze changes in social communication. The book examines Twitter's role in political, economic, and social spheres, using case studies such as citizen journalism, health, and natural disasters to offer empirically rich insights.
Readers will learn how Twitter functions as a communication tool, including the use of the at-sign for direct communication between users. The book provides a theoretical framework for critically reflecting on the impact of Twitter and the broader contemporary media environment.
Key concepts
- At-sign communication — The method users employ to direct tweets to specific individuals on Twitter.
- Emergent global communications medium — Twitter's classification as a rapidly developing and globally reaching platform for communication.
- Citizen journalism — The practice of ordinary people reporting news events, a case study for understanding Twitter's impact.
- Social media reshaping contemporary life — The overarching impact of platforms like Twitter on how society functions.
From the book
Description: Twitter has become a household name, discussed both for its role in prominent national elections, natural disasters, and political movements, as well as for what some malign as narcissistic “chatter.” This book takes a critical step back from popular discourse and media coverage of Twitter, to present the first balanced, scholarly engagement of this popular medium. In this timely and comprehensive introduction, Murthy not only discusses Twitter’s role in our political, economic, and social lives, but also draws a historical line between the telegraph and Twitter to reflect on changes in social communication over time. The book thoughtfully examines Twitter as an emergent global communications medium and provides a theoretical framework for students, scholars, and tweeters to…
Snippet: Social Communication in the <b>Twitter</b> Age Dhiraj Murthy. The dialogue between <b>Twitter users</b> occurs through the at - sign ( e.g. , <b>a user can</b> direct tweets <b>to</b> another <b>user</b> by prefixing a <b>post</b> with an at - sign before the target <b>user's</b> name ) .