Studies On The Social Function And Development Trends Of Micro-blogs

While micro blogs have gained popularity through publishing trendy topics such as what your favourite actor or singer is doing at a specific period in time, it must not be forgotten that at its core a micro blog is a broadcast medium. Initially disregarded by critics as just another trend made fashionable by time wasters which would fade over time, micro blogs and micro blogging have become nothing short of a global phenomenon in under a decade. In America Twitter’s micro blog platform has been used in or applied to almost all walks of life from the trivial such as someone tweeting about how much they love the new bottle of nail polish they bought to someone tweeting about America’s impending fiscal cliff or where to get aid during a natural disaster. The same can be said for Sina weibo, the leading micro blog platform in China, which boasts government officials and agencies as some of its registered users. Micro blogs and by extension micro blogging has been embraced by millions and as a communication tool it has indeed revolutionized the way information is disseminated to the masses. This paper will examine the development of micro blogs, their impact on traditional media and society, investigate possible negative effects of micro blogging as well suggest potential countermeasures for said negative attributes. It will also discuss future trends.