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It's a Tech Craze: Twitter CEO on Following Elections, Your Stocks, 'Your Personal Newswire'

Posted Oct 09, 2008 12:10pm EDT by Aaron Task in Internet, Networking and Communication, Newsmakers, Products and Trends, Recession

Are you following me on Twitter?

For those of you out of the loop, Twitter is a free service that let's you keep touch with friends and acquintances via your mobile device, IM or the Web -- all in real-time. From celebrity spotting to spreading the word about news events and instant reactions to them, popular Twitter has become a personal, portable news wire service for its millions of fans.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sat down with me to discuss the growing trend that's sometimes called microblogging. We drilled into:

  • The popularity of groups on Twitter
  • Summer of too many outages
  • Startup money amid the credit crisis
  • Growing around the globe
  • And -- the big question -- what's the revenue/business model.

29 Comments

Reedersong
Reedersong - Thursday October 09, 2008 11:13AM EDT

Banks are flush with 6% mortgages THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED THEIR MONEY FOR 30 YEARS and they are now paying up to 4% on CD's. What happens if there is inflation and they have to start paying 6+% on CD's? Well they are making money now on Credit Cards...What happens if a 'Fed Up' America starts cutting up their Credit Cards? My Aunt was getting 15% on her CD's in the early 80's. YES I KNOW INFLATION WENT TO THE TEENS. HOWEVER, IF THE CREDIT MARKETS DRY UP THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO OUTPACE INFLATION WITH NEW HIGHER PERCENTAGE LOANS....Also, the car market is terrible right now..another good source of banking income. This explains the actions of our Leaders.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 11:29AM EDT

This is funny, can someone explain to me why is this interview under strategy and building a business model? HELLO... SMS has been around for years and ICQ even longer... Twitter raised $15Mill -- burning cash, burning cash....

- Thursday October 09, 2008 11:30AM EDT

Now that Wall St. is going the way of the dodo bird, more of our best and brightest will pursue tech careers. Tech will thrive again

Reedersong
Reedersong - Thursday October 09, 2008 11:36AM EDT

GUESS WHAT ELSE? BANKS ARE ON MORE SHAKY GROUND THAN THEY WERE THEN. Check the Savings & Loan Crisis on Wika. "At the same time, the institutions had much of their money tied up in long-term mortgage loans at fixed interest rates" Mark Twain said "History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes", The collapse began when the S+L's got stuck in LONG, UNFAVORABLE, Conditions on their money. I would hate to be in a bank right now with a CREDIT CRUNCH, FORECLOSURES, PEOPLE CUTTING UP CREDIT CARDS, NOONE BUYING CARS, SLOW RUN ON DEPOSITS and OH YEAH, BTW, WE have a LOT OF MONEY, LONG.....AT 6%

DNCN JIM
DNCN JIM - Thursday October 09, 2008 11:45AM EDT

Just what we need! Another instant gratification in information. Pandora's Box, is well opened now and will get wider. I am afraid the Blue Tooth, is going to be permanently implanted in some people's heads. They can't seem to get enough gadgets and revised electronic devices. Well, to each his/her own, I say. Turn em' off, and go to work. REAL WORK. That's what is needed now, not more technical diversions. By the way, I am also guilty, but I do turn the gadgets off,every once in awhile, and "smell the roses"Jim

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:02PM EDT

Have fun twittering while Rome is frittering!

__A_YAHOO_USER__
__A_YAHOO_USER__ - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:08PM EDT

If the Federal took over the Banks by Injecting cash Capital they can dictate the Bank to reduce interest charges to one and percent with immediate effect...They can Buy Common Share of STOCK and Prefewrred Share of Stock & 700 Billion is a lot of fire power....And Fire power to discharge CEO.....

DNCN JIM
DNCN JIM - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:17PM EDT

That's a great comment,"Have fun twittering while Rome is frittering". Very appropriate comment,and very timely. Thanks,Jim

Doug C
Doug C - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:25PM EDT

Boy I feel good now! The US Government is going to take control of banks! YEAH! What a fine example that should be. The US government running banks, after raiding Social Security and saddling us with 50 TRILLION in Debt to be paid by our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren. Yeah!

Cat_in_a_bank
Cat_in_a_bank - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:32PM EDT

I almost leveled a crossing car on an intersection yesterday. The stupid driver of that car was on a phone, staring at his GPS and with a white earpiece cable, out of his ear, driving by diagonal trough the intersection from a stop. When it is enough?

sportsmadness
sportsmadness - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:32PM EDT

Wow there are two Daves in here .... I need to find out how to change my name to sportsmadness 78 on the post a comment icon.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:47PM EDT

Thanks Jim. It pains me to be so cynical, but I feel I've earned the right. I gave up on my country and left a long time ago. Miss the land, but not the collective insanity. Now I can't see any reason to come back. Just hope this nightmare spurs people to action and that something good comes out of it all. Freedom is a privilege to be defended, not a right.You can't have something for nothing!

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 01:53PM EDT

Thanks Jim. It pains me to be so cynical, but I feel I've earned the right. I gave up on my country and left a long time ago. Miss the land, but not the collective insanity. Now I can't see any reason to come back. Just hope this nightmare spurs people to action and that something good comes out of it all. Freedom is a privilege to be defended, not a right.You can't have something for nothing!

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 02:06PM EDT

http://twitter.com/timothysykesexposed Financial Updates - and how many times can jack dorsey say "trending"

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 02:53PM EDT

The Name of the game today is survival....Why consolidate Microsoft,Yahoo,Oracle into one group company.....Create a One Mega Company that will exist for the next 100 years and beyond....It will reduce ,cost, and provide a good service for all.....Anti -Competition is no longer an issue it is survival that counts now. How about that.......

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 02:53PM EDT

The Name of the game today is survival....Why consolidate Microsoft,Yahoo,Oracle into one group company.....Create a One Mega Company that will exist for the next 100 years and beyond....It will reduce ,cost, and provide a good service for all.....Anti -Competition is no longer an issue it is survival that counts now. How about that.......

Tony
Tony - Thursday October 09, 2008 03:12PM EDT

Hopefully the good of all this will be stock market that is properly valulated, a housing market that is properly valuated, and a population that is smart enough not to let the rich and powerful and unethical to expliot us and not allow unstainable monetary policies. Only lend money at interest rates that accurately reflect the risk. Insist on regulation that makes sure that money is being lent at interest rates that accurately reflect the risk. These simple rules would have avoided the S&L bailout and the current financial mess. There needs to be enough oversight to ensure the rules are followed. Don't allow corporate EXECs to ever again fleece share holders with ridiculous bonus and severance packages. Congress needs to enact laws to protect share holders against such abuses.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 03:25PM EDT

Remove CEO in corporate America........

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 03:29PM EDT

So cool... I can twitter while my life savings go down he shitter.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday October 09, 2008 03:35PM EDT

Will somebody please twitter me when the market rallies? I'll be waiting in Argentina where the wheelbarrows are cheap!

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