June 22nd, 2009

The end of Twitter’s exuberant adolescence

Posted in  Government  Politics  Technology 
Author: Tom Giovanetti || Location: Lewisville, Texas, USA

I have spent a fascinating several days on Twitter, literally talking to Twitterers in Iran, and in some cases talking directly to young people who were in the protests. I watched as demonstrators warned each other "don't go to the hospitals--the basijis are taking names at the hospitals" and "helicopters are dropping acid on the demonstrators." Amazing.

I had a discussion with one in particular who was pushing back at Twitterers in the U.S. who were excited and supportive of the demonstrations. This particular person was convinced that America (American neocons, to be specific) wanted the regime to stay in place because "America needs an enemy."

But by the end of the weekend I started to feel sorry for Twitter, because now Twitter matters to governments, and that's bad. As the executives of Twitter have probably already realized, becoming "important" is a mixed bag. Twitter has now shown up on the radar screens of governments around the world, and when something is important to government, government will seek to regulate, restrict and control.

As important as Twitter has become this weekend, and as successful as the technology has demonstrated itself to be, I'm afraid this episode may prove to be the end of Twitter's exuberant adolescence, and now Twitter will have to begin dealing with the government-types, both at home and abroad.

Good luck.