Is Twitter Text or Speech? The Answer Is: Yes
June 3, 2011 Leave a comment
There are so many great points about Twitter and language in this article, Is Twitter writing, or is it speech? Why we need a new paradigm for our social media platforms by Nieman Journalism Lab’s Megan Garber I highly recommend you read it in its entirety. But first, here are a few points I found particularly interesting.
What, specifically, is Twitter? Is it writing or is it speech? Or, is it a new communications form entirely. This is not a trivial matter especially as it pertains to the law. Publish damaging text with malice aforethought (as they say) may be libelous — speak disparagingly and it may be considered slander. Different offenses; different remedies and penalties. So what is Twitter? The published word or simply speech made visual? Or, in this world of hybrid pets, plants and cars is it an entirely new species, evolved from technology? (Yes, it is) Read more of this post