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The Biggest Difference Between Facebook and Twitter

bowen_kennedyWhat do you think is the biggest difference between Facebook and Twitter? If you’re active on both, I bet you’ve got a strong opinion!

Here’s my take (aimed at people not too familiar with one or the other): it’s the Twitter friend/follow system. Due to its extensive privacy settings, Facebook requires two-way verification for full sharing between two people. If someone doesn’t accept your friend request, you most likely can’t see what they are up to, because most people stick with default strong privacy settings.

On Twitter, you can see just about anything about anybody, unless they protect their updates, which only a small minority of active users seem to do. You can decide to follow someone and put their updates in your news stream, and they don’t have to follow you back. In that way, Twitter is much more of a real news feed than Facebook.

A couple notes about Twitter’s friend/follow system. If you follow someone but they don’t follow you, you’ll have to do an @ reply for them to see something you want them to see. You can also only send direct (private) messages to someone who is following you. If you block someone who follows you, they can still read your page, as far as I can figure. Twitter updates are very, very public and are quickly archived throughout the Web – even deleted updates.

This post was prompted in part by CA Secretary of State Debra Bowen‘s recent dive into active Twitter use for the Obama inauguration. (Pictured here with Caroline Kennedy/John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.) SoS Bowen is one of the most active Facebookers I know among elected officials. Follow her on Twitter.

Twitter and Facebook users, what do you think?

adrielhampton

Adriel Hampton is a writer, strategist, and sometimes mindfulness practitioner.

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15 responses to “The Biggest Difference Between Facebook and Twitter”

  1. My wife uses facebook and I use GovLoop and Twitter. So, what I take away from this article is that Twiiter allows people who just want to watch others do that without all of the hurdles that Facebook has. E-Voyeurs will prefer Twitter over Facebook!

  2. I use FB and linkedin for different things…don’t really get twitter, though Adriel’s analysis makes me a little curious. I just don’t know if I need another networking tool or what value it would have besides taking precious time.

  3. Well, i’m more of a FB person than Twitter.. (Recent twitterer but not very active there).. i feel like on FB you have more of a full picture of others, and present a fuller picture of yourself, what you’re doing, etc etc… Twitter is sort of like zoomed in shots of a picture that you keep flittering about to different shots, but not one big view, if that makes sense.

    plus for some reason, i feel like on twitter i need to update more than i do, but don’t really have that much interesting to say or share… much like i like distance shots of myself rather than up-close..

  4. Thanks, @Andy, @Bruce and @Elissa, for your comments. As I’ve written before, I think Facebook is a more robust and user-friendly platform. But you can’t beat Twitter for finding new folks in your areas of interest. Glad I don’t have to choose one!

  5. Interesting. I think Twitter can be a bit annoying, although I like it most of the time. You get news really fast but the accuracy of the news is compromised – so you always have to double check with an “official” news source. I like Twitter for things like the inauguration yesterday but for friends communication I rely on FB. If I could automatically feed to twitter any time I change my FB status… I think I’m onto something here! 🙂

  7. Twitter is definitely an easier way to connect with people of similar interests than Facebook. Facebook connects you with people you knew in the past and just met. Twitter allows you to meet new people and allows for a more free flowing two-way conversation! For professionals its great because it teaches you how to post only the most important and pertinent information. You only get 140 characters…list the who, what, when, and where or a url which will generate more traffic to your site. Facebook can get too cluttered sometimes. Twitter is short and sweet, instantaneous info about the people and things your interested in. Opinions on the latest movies, best places to dine in your area, where your friends are this weekend, ect…

    Use facebook to catch up with old friends, give detailed information about yourself and/or business. Use Twitter to get up-to-date info, the quick facts, and latests gossip in media and in your neighborhood!

  8. This was a good explanation on your perceived differences between Facebook and Twitter. From what you said, if you like more privacy use Facebook, if you don’t care use Twitter.

  9. I used FB its a good web product.But i have different feelings when i use Twitter. Though my habits are to use FB.Now adjusting frequently to use twitter.I use for my commercial purpose with confidence twitter.

  12. Loved, loved this book. I was fortunate to get a prerelease and I am grateful.
    I found it to be unlike any social media book I have read in the past, a must read for fellow business owners.
    It’s like a phd in the art of being likable!

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