So now that everyone and their mothers (I mean that literally) are on Twitter, it’s time to talk about use, misuse and abuse of the site. Here are the top rules to follow to not be the most annoying tweeter on Earth.
1. For those who don’t know what “subtweeting” is, here’s a quick lesson: A subtweet is when you talk about a specific person (without mentioning said person’s name of course) in a (usually) negative way. For example: “You don’t even have friends anyway.” Please don’t do it. It’s annoying and absolutely no one on Twitter cares about your friends/friend problems/boyfriends/boyfriend problems/ girlfriend problems/dog problems.
2. Don’t post song lyrics. We can all use Google, and we don’t need to join you on the emotional rollercoaster of your life.
3. Don’t tweet more than 5 or 6 times a day. Once you get over this number, your tweets are usually dumb or irrelevant.
4. Favorite sparingly. My rule for favoriting is the tweet has to either make me laugh or smile, or I have to profoundly agree with it. Favoriting is a serious commitment.
5. #donthashtaglongthingsbecauseitisreallyannoyingandhardtoread
6. Don’t protect your tweets (unless you have good reason to) because putting RT before a friend’s tweets is really annoying.
7. If the only thing you tweet about is how much homework you have, please get off Twitter. (Juniors, looking at you on this one.)
8. Don’t carry conversations with friends via Twitter. It’s really annoying when 35 of the 40 new tweets in my feed are with you and your friend talking about how much you miss each other.
So, before you get on Twitter, keep in mind that I’m watching you – and judging you.
interested party • Oct 27, 2012 at 4:36 pm
that’s odd. remember, these are student-journalists, not professional journalists…
Julie • Oct 6, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Julia, I don’t know you or your commenters, but read your father’s column from time to time and linked to this from Twitter. I live in Kansas and have been a high school, college and professional journalist here and in New York. I just wanted to let you know that whoever “Christy” is, her comment is mean-spirited and completely out of line. If it’s so easy to write a better column, she should write her own with what SHE wants to say, and publish it somewhere for her own satisfaction. You wrote what YOU wanted to say, and did a very fine job. I appreciated your advice, and know a lot of professionals and adults who could use it, too (and as the mom of a high schooler, I know your audience surely benefits from your perspective!). Please know that anytime someone uses a phrase like “sorry, I expected more from you especially,” nitpicks, or claims that you did it all wrong, it’s an indicator that they are trying to put you down and make you feel ashamed in order to make themselves feel superior. The world is full of trolls and flamers who don’t themselves have the courage to actually write, publish or reveal themselves, but instead hide themselves in this type of inane online commentary. Perhaps this is a joke, or Christy is a good friend or a close teacher-mentor who has a special language with you, but if not, please don’t take her comment to heart. We need good thinkers and young people to keep writing, and writing from your own truth, as you see fit. I liked this piece very much and learned some good tips from it. (PS I find it funny that she moralizes with “the world is full of judgment” and then goes all-in with judgment.)
Ruth • Oct 6, 2012 at 10:25 am
Nicely said
Christy • Oct 6, 2012 at 9:15 am
You are forgetting the most important rule of Twitter: It is what you make it. The world is full of judgment. Perhaps there is something more important for which you can create a rules list? Besides – these rules all seem a bit self-center, i.e. the stuff that annoy you rather that rules about how to treat one another. Sorry I expected some deeper thinking from E.J.’s daughter. Try the list again – you can do better. Start from a point like this: Never tweet something you would not say while looking someone in the eye. Or – if someone tweets something that upsets you take the time to make sure you understand it before reacting.