Tweets

• Twitter created its very own mini language. When a user sends an update, it is called a "tweet." The user is said to be "tweeting." Tweets are the basis of Twitter. A tweet can be no longer than 140 characters and it can say just about anything. Some Twitterers use their account to share updates about their life; for others Twitter is a tool for promoting themselves or their brand. A tweet can also be used to link directly to another location on the Web with more detailed information.
  
  

Followers and Following

• Once you sign up for Twitter, you can search for and choose to follow other Twitterers. If the Twitter account is public, it is simply a matter of clicking "Follow" to began receiving Tweets from the other person. If the account is private, you must wait for your request to be accepted before seeing tweets. Likewise, if you have a private account, you must accept or decline anyone who wants to follow you. Twitter will suggest people for you to follow based on your interests, but you may also do your own search.
  
  

Uses

• Twitter is a tool for letting friends and family know what you are up to, but it also has other uses. Twitter is consistently used in the business world to announce new products, gain feedback and communicate with customers when complaints and compliments are made. Twitter has also had an impact in politics and world events. Twitter was used heavily in Iran in 2009 to organize protests around the country's presidential election. In 2011, the Red Cross used Twitter to encourage donations for those affected by the Japanese earthquake. Twitter is also a news source, used by media and the public to share stories. In 2009, a bystander was the first to break news of the US Airways crash into the Hudson River in New York by tweeting a photo of the plane.