The debate over whether Tunisia witnessed a “Twitter revolution” reflects a commentariat unable to see outside its own obsessions.
Social media
How Twitter is mapping the flood crisis — and whether you can trust it
The Queensland floods crisis has seen a rush of people take to Twitter, local and remote, attempting to spread helpful information, writes Crikey intern Liam Mannix.
Social media and health news: a big fat juicy wrap
Leaders in the health sector are gradually embracing the connectivity capabilities of social media and related technologies. Crikey’s health blog Croakey has compiled a huge wrap of recent social media and health news broadcast on Twitter.
The role of social media in flood response and recovery efforts
While transfixed by the flood footage from Queensland, Melissa Sweet put out a Twitter call asking for pointers on the role of social media in disasters. Here are two documents that may be useful for those involved in flooding response and recovery efforts.
weird 
The link between the body and social media
A bold new study conducted by researchers at the Northwestern University in America claims there is a correlation between social networking habits and the size of a small part of the brain called the amygdalae. This means Mark Zuckerberg must have one the size of a golf ball, right?
How social media is connecting people in public health: some lessons from WA
In WA, a micro-blogging tool called Yammer is proving useful for internal communications within the public health workforce and more broadly, reports Lizanne Sivapalan and Tarun Weeramanthri, from the WA Health Department.
Saving the economy, social media style
The last year has seen a dramatic increase in the number of councils and cities engaging in social media to attract companies and stimulate local economies. Mashable explains five of the most common strategies.
Handy hits on how to develop a social media strategy
If you own or work for a business keen to engage with social media, there’s a lot more to it then making a Facebook “like” button. You should also have a social media content strategy and this quick guide by Rich Brooks outlines the basics.
Peering into the crystal ball of corporate social media
Corporations are still in the trial phase of working out how to best harness the powers of social media and there’s no doubt it will have a massive impact on commercial practices in the future. Here are a few predictions from Lauren Fisher.
Pick your top 50 friends
As opposed to all your hundreds of Facebook “fans” and Twitter “followers”, new social media site Path limits users to having only 50 friends. It’s based on the Dunbar biology theory that people know and trust only 50 others.
Evan Williams on his role in the birth of Twitter
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams fronted a gathering of techies in Texas last week and spoke about strategies associated with building the phenomenally successful social networking service - including his decision to demote himself, writes Claire Cain Miller.
The fine (on)line between tracking and stalking
Recently launched website justspotted.com uses social media techniques to track the whereabouts of celebrities. It is among a group of sites that further challenge definitions about where privacy rights begin and end and to whom they apply, writes James Rainey.
How Twitter can help teach students about government
For decades high school teachers have taught students about systems of government through same-old same-old methods such as diagrams, text books and mock elections, but Michael Stuchbery turned to Twitter and encountered some striking results.
The jury is still out: how can lawyers use social media?
Social networking services are increasingly being used in the court room and throughout legal processes, including jury selections and even in providing evidence. Zachary Sniderman asks three net savvy attorneys about the future of social media and the law.
What your Facebook photo reveals about you
You may think you’re being cool with the slightly artsy Facebook photo with you barely visible in the background, but it’s just another social media stereotype. Gawker analyses the standard Facebook profile poses.
Does quirky social media sell airline seats?
After a day of phone calls, texts and emails about Air NZ’s latest viral ad campaign, maybe this blog should help spread the virus. But will it win more customers than it alienates? asks Ben Sandilands.
Why Google needs to buy Twitter
If Google wants to keep its control of the internet, it needs to purchase Twitter and fast, says Henry Blodget. Facebook is growing in power in social media, Apple is moving in that direction and Google is being left behind.
The whys and wherefores of bureaucratic blogging
The first was a fundamental rule that every public servant must live and breathe: that your personal views must be strictly separate from your professional conduct.
The cold turkey social media experiment
Access to social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter was prohibited for one week at an American university earlier this month as part of an academic exercise to test how students would react. A social media expert has spoken out against the experiment, labeling it “too extreme.”
Kindness killed the Facebook plant
An unusual experiment combining social media and gardening has resulted in death for a plant dubbed “Meet Eater,” which was watered every time internet users interacted with its Facebook account. The verdict: kindness really can kill.
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How old is the average Facebook user?
You might think Facebook is just for tweens and young folk. You would be wrong. The average age of a Facebook user is just 38, while younger people are more likely to use social media than email.
Predicting the (near) future of social media
In recent years social media has progressed in leaps and bounds and the next five years look set to be just as turbulent. Expect larger member bases, more services, more connectivity and more micro-payment models, writes Adam Ostrow
Social media is egg-cellent for recalls
It’s always awkward when companies have to announce a recall — think of last week’s major egg recall following salmonella outbreaks in the US — but at least social media has made it far easier and cheaper to spread the message.
Avoiding disaster in the social media sphere
Social media marketers cannot control what users say about their brands, but there are certain tricks that can be employed to minimize or avoid PR debacles. Here are five.
You too can be a social media expert
Are you in desperate need of a social media strategy to spruik at an upcoming company meeting? Here’s a few classic lines for when you’re desperate, like “Harness social currency to drive buzz”.
