An Uprising in 140 Words or Less

Twitter is being used actively to disseminate information about the protests in Iran which were sparked by the disputed presidential election in the country. Hundreds of new tweets per minute are being posted by protesters on the ground in Tehran and supporters around the world. Apparently, the activity on the site is so intense that the Iranian government is also keeping an eye on the tweets.

I completely understand Twitter’s value in getting information out instantly to people who want to follow an event, such as protests in Iran or natural disasters in New Orleans. It provides a platform for instantaneous, real-time announcements and breaking news. See it. Tweet it.

What I don’t understand is how to keep up with thousands of tweets every few minutes and sort through the barrage quickly enough to know what tweet sources to follow more closely.

As one tweet said, “140 characters is a novel when you’re being shot at.”