Twitter vs. Facebook status

This is Part 3 of a series on Why Twitter? Also check out Part 4, Twitter is not Facebook Lite.

So isn't Twitter just Facebook status updates, without Facebook?

(And if you're a Facebook-hater, that may be reason enough to give Twitter a try. "Facebook, without all those annoying requests? I'm in!")

As a Facebook user (sounds like a drug), this question held me back from trying Twitter, because from the outside, they look quite similar. But once I tried Twitter, I found that the basic setup makes it quite different. Facebook is reciprocal and private. Twitter is asymmetrical and public. Let me explain.

On Facebook, friendship is reciprocal: If I am your friend, then you are my friend. In other words, it's mutual. This provides a sense of privacy within your circle. Facebook provides various privacy settings, so you can determine which parts of your profile are visible to just your friends, to friends of friends, or to the broader network. But even if you make your status completely public, who will see it? Odds are, only your friends.

Much to my surprise, the first response was from a complete stranger!

On Twitter, friendship is asymmetrical: I do not have to be your friend to make you my friend. Twitter actually uses a more neutral and precise term -- if I am interested in regularly reading your status updates, I "follow" you, that is, I follow your updates. This places no obligation on you to follow my updates, and it is possible because updates are public.

When I first joined Twitter, I naturally made my first connections to my friends. But I quickly discovered that because of the asymmetry, I can follow the updates of prominent people and institutions. For example, I follow some Christian thought-leaders and some software engineering thought-leaders, without concerning myself over whether we are friends or have ever met. I also follow CNN Breaking News.

My big ah-ha moment about how Twitter differs from Facebook status updates is when I posted a question about Twitter software for Macs. Coming from a Facebook orientation, I assumed I was asking my "followers." Much to my surprise, the first response was from a complete stranger! How did someone who was not following me see my question? He might have seen my question on the public timeline, or through a search -- either is possible because of Twitter's public nature. And how did I see his answer? The way Twitter works is I not only see the people I am following, but I also see any updates containing an @ sign followed by my Twitter user name, like this: @jonmreid.

I continue to use Facebook because it's good at what it was designed for: Bringing me back in touch with friends. Twitter is a different beast. If Facebook is like a reunion, then Twitter is like a cocktail party.

What about you: Do you use Twitter? Facebook? Both? Neither? Share your observations in the comments below. Other differences between Facebook and Twitter are explored on TwiTip.

Further reading: Part 4 of this series, Twitter is not Facebook Lite, uses diagrams illustrates the difference between Twitter relationships and Facebook relationships.

If you liked this post, please subscribe to blog one another or follow me on Twitter. And if you have further questions about Twitter, I'd love to help you get started; feel free to email me, or leave a comment below.

Why Twitter? series:

1. Why Twitter: Flight 1549 and viral news
2. Why Twitter: Group participation on conference website
3. Twitter vs. Facebook status
4. Twitter is not Facebook Lite

Further reading:

• Before You Sign Up for Twitter
• Twitter Practical How-to's

Comments

[Tim Beauchamp]

Twitter, more closely, matches the way we pay attention to people offline. We listen to people we are interested in, regardless if they are interested in us.

I expect we will see some of the darker paradigms of society flowing into twitter connections. Unwanted followers, stalking. But for now, it is a young technology.

Tim

[Jon Reid]

Tim, would you post your latest status here? I found it disturbing in a good way, and quite funny. A much-needed reminder.

[Tim Beauchamp]

By request: RT @tbeauchamp I sometimes laugh when I consider my use of social media involves sitting alone at my laptop, typing to people I rarely see, meet or know.

[Jon Reid]

Heh. I'll explain "RT" in a later entry. Thanks, Tim.

[Helen Bratko]

Great summary.

[Jon Reid]

Thanks, Helen. Pass it along to anyone you know who is wondering, if it's helpful.

[Ronald Widha]

I totally agree with your opinion. I came to the same conclusion myself, especially after using the new TweetDeck .25b (support for facebook status)

http://ronaldwidha.net/askbobo/opinions/why-facebook-will-never-be-twitter/

[Jon Reid]

Ronald, I find it fascinating that the ability for you to keep up with Facebook status in TweetDeck (a Twitter client) did not blur the distinctions between Facebook and Twitter, but made them more obvious!

[Ronald Widha]

Jon, the impedance mismatch is far too great that I don't think the TweetDeck team attempted to blur the distinctions between the two.

[Jon Reid]

Ronald,
"impedance mismatch" !
You are a true geek. :-)