Facebook and Twitter-First Draft-(Compare and Contrast Essay)

                                                                                                                       Feyzanur Öztürk

March 23, 2014

Facebook and Twitter

     The Internet is the most significant invention of history of humanity. There are a lot of social networks. They have almost become indispensable for people. Especially, Facebook and Twitter are the two most popular social networks in the world. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004; Twitter was founded by Jack Dorsey in 2006. Although both of the websites have got similarities in terms of their purposes, there are some differences between them. Both sites differ from sharing format, communication and application format, design and user groups.

     Firstly, Facebook is a multi-purpose social networking platform like twitter. They are used to chat, to upload photographs, videos or notes. Facebook and Twitter’s sharing formats differ in that people can share something they want as update status on Facebook while they can compose a tweet and add what they want to share on Twitter. Additionally, the most important difference between them is about their character limit for writing. Facebook has no character restriction unlike twitter. Because users have got 140 characters to write on twitter. Another difference is their ways of expression what people liked. If users like something on Facebook, they express using ‘Like button’ or writing a comment but Twitter users express approval of content by "Retweet" or "Favourite".

    Secondly, Facebook and Twitter are used to communicate with friends, to meet new people and to follow journal. In addition to these, they have got different applications. The other important difference is the formats of making friends for both social networks. You add people as friends or like pages for having information about journal on Facebook, you follow to people and journal pages on twitter. As a result, both of them provide communicating with people and following journal. You can send private message on both Facebook and twitter, and block someone you dislike. You can see online friends on Facebook unlike Twitter. Facebook and Twitter differ in terms of their applications. You can play online games on Facebook, whereas there are not online games on twitter. It has got “Trend Topic” and “Hashtag” apart from Facebook. You compose a tweet using a hashtag. If this hashtag is mentioned by so many people, it is listed as trend topic. Trend topic list include up-to-date and enjoyable matters.

     Thirdly, though both of them are designed shades of blue, their designs and symbols are different from each other. Facebook uses only ‘F’ letter as its symbol. Twitter’s symbol is a blue bird. Shades of blue are used for both social networks because blue is a cool calming colour that shows creativity and intelligence, and has a calming effect on the psyche. While Facebook’s colour can’t be changed, Twitter has got an option to change colours so you can customize your own.

    Fourthly, nowadays people have begun to use twitter much more actively but not everybody. Most of them keep on using the Facebook. That celebrities usually use twitter rather than Facebook causes us to stereotype that twitter appeals to them more than it appeals to ordinary people. Facebook is available in 70 languages but twitter is available in 29 languages. Therefore, Facebook has more users than twitter. While the number of users is 1.15 billion (active September 2013) on Facebook, twitter has got over 500 million users. There are people in all age group on Facebook, especially teenagers. Most of them use Facebook for playing game. They think that twitter is boring seeing that there is no game. Actually, using twitter looked as if it was more difficult than using Facebook but it’s not true. Only some people think like that on the grounds that they are used to using Facebook and do not prefer to use twitter.

     In conclusion, Facebook and Twitter take an important place in people’s lives. Both of them are used to communicate with people, to share something, to spend time and so on; in addition to these, they stifle people’s loneliness and enhance their desire of being popular. Thus, some people become addicted to these social networks. They want to share everything they did and their thoughts on these websites but this is not a conscious usage. In my opinion, people should use both of them at suitable time, in suitable places and in a suitable way.

                                                              OUTLINE

   Thesis statement: Facebook and Twitter differ from sharing format, communication and application format, design and user groups.

1) Purpose of their usage is parallel to each other.

        1.1) Difference in sharing formats

a) Their character restriction

b) Their expression approval of content

    2) They are used to communicate but they have different application

         2.1)  Difference in the formats of making friends.

 a) Adding and following

 b) Playing online game and using ‘Hashtag’

     3) Both of them are designed shades of blue.

           3.1) Difference in their designs and symbols.

                 a)’F’ letter and a blue bird

                 b) Unchangeable and changeable colour

      4) Facebook and Twitter are used by too many people.

              4.1)Difference in their user group

                  a) Celebrities and ordinary people

                  b) Available in 70 languages and available in 29 languages

                  c) Number of users is 1.15 billion and number of users is over 500 million         

     Conclusion statement: In my opinion, people should use both of them at suitable time, in suitable places and in a suitable way.