The sudden death of Michael Jackson last week sparked a media panic. Regarded as one of the largest pop icons of our time, the internet was becoming one of the largest forms of activity, with many hearing the news through Facebook and Twitter before any other source. So, are social websites the future of new media?
Michael Jackson's affects on Twitter (http://mashable.com/2009/06/25/michael-jackson-twitter/)
My main focus is Twitter, which I am lead to believe is only two and a half years old and was offered a $500 million buyout. The service has become extremely popular in social networking circles, even celebrates ‘tweet’ in order to keep their fans up to date on their latest hair styles. But the service has become more than just a way of telling people what you had for breakfast. It’s become a way of spreading news quickly and allowing other people to interact within seconds. Whilst the BBC where interviewing friends close to Michael Jackson, the world seemed to be turning to Twitter with users expressing their thoughts on what was happening online, connecting to people far and wide across the world. In fact the site actually crashed during this period and it goes without saying that many were following the news online and not on television.
I for one first heard of the news through a status update on Facebook, which was soon followed by more, updating the events, linking to websites and eventually confirming his death. It seems you no longer need a television or a radio to stay in touch anymore when it comes to world wide events, it seems websites such as Twitter are ahead when it comes to the fast paced environment we are all becoming accustomed to.
Who knows what the future holds for social websites.
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