Jimmy Rogers
Department of Molecular and Microbiology
George Mason University

The Development of the Twitterverse

Maybe this section could be more aptly termed “New Users of Twitter,” because the new ways of using Twitter are directly tied to those who are trying it out for the first time. More and more celebrities have begun tweeting their habits and whereabouts, but this is hardly unexpected. A more surprising group is the members of the United States Congress. It seems that many Congressmen, both Senators and Representatives, have created Twitter accounts dedicated to their actions and experiences in the legislative process.

While many of the 65 Representatives who Twitter allow their staff to handle the day-to-day updates, not every official is as hands-off. Representative Pete Hoekstra of Michigan caused quite a ruckus by announcing his arrival in Baghdad on what was supposed to be an unpublicized visit (Newton-Small). The damage from this particular misstep was minimal, but it raises point that some individuals might be wiser to avoid detail-hungry services like Twitter.

There have been positive effects as well, though. Twitter is often praised for allowing outsiders to see the “real” person behind their persona. In a closed (but not secret) meeting with President Obama, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill posted the following tweet about the two top executive officials: “The President is now discovering that Joe Biden is the reason that Amtrak created the quiet car. Huge laugh” (Newton-Small). The off-handed remark may not seem like much, but in the tight-lipped world of politics, a relatively uncensored stream of updates from a politician is a new and untested concept.

On the completely other end of the spectrum, there are tweets coming in from as far away as Mars. To be fair, the messages are being written by an Earth-bound NASA employee, Veronica McGregor, but the spirit is the same (Madrigal, 2008b). The Mars Phoenix Lander, a remotely controlled vehicle roaming the surface of Mars, has gained a lot of attention on Twitter over the last year or so. Every day of its operation, the “@marsphoenix” Twitter account informed thousands of users about the incremental discoveries being made on the red planet. Since the lander’s updates could be mixed in with a user’s regular list of tweets, the project was in perfect position to educate the public about space travel while not being too intrusive.

Near the end of 2008, the Mars Phoenix Lander’s mission ended due to the seasonal changes on Mars, but before its final days, it shared with the world an update that many had been waiting for: “Are you ready to celebrate? Well, get ready: We have ICE!!!!! Yes, ICE, *WATER ICE* on Mars! w00t!!! Best day ever!!” (Madrigal, 2008a). The news hit most of the major news outlets at the same time, but is impressive that many of the people most interested in the Mars project and the discovery of ice probably found out before anyone else. When it comes down to it, it’s easier to type 140 characters and hit enter, than to submit an article for editorial, copywriting, publication, and eventual syndication.