Twitter and the examples of its “bad use”

Web 2.0 is a buzzword nowadays. However, Web 2.0 is not the technology but the changed attitude to the existing opportunities. The development of World Wide Web and the growth of population number using Internet led to the development of new methods of communication. One of the most popular and simple method is microblogging. Microblogging allows fast information exchange and the popularity of microblogs grows every day. The most popular service of microblogging is Twitter. Celebrities, politicians, news agencies use tweets for self-promotion, media coverage, and other purposes. Such popular service became attractive platform for “bad use”; different kinds of illegal activity, cheating, or even mass riots organization. In 2009 the results of presidential election in Iran caused the riots through the country. Government blocked some other communication channels and riots used Twitter for communication. Thus, microblogging can be useful in the cases of blocked or unavailable other communication channels. This research discusses some cases of “bad use” of Twitter and highlights the motivation, way of use and results of Twitter “bad use”. This is an empirical study because statistical data is insufficient to provide the quantitative research. It is clear that this topic requires further investigation, but even the preliminary findings can add to the research of Twitter bad use and its impact on social life.

Introduction
After Tim O’Reilly coined the term Web 2.0 in 2004, social media became the common thing. Integration of IT world in all the spheres of contemporary human’s life, business and education as well. IT technologies are used to improve and make the lives of humans easier and more interesting. It won’t be a secret that a number of resources such as Internet and different social networks: blogs, facebook, twitter and many other social services has become an essential part of life of every teenager and even adults. People spend hours communicating through the virtual reality, using numerous resources for social self expression, in particular. Web 2.0 characterizes not a new technology but new attitude to the existing one. Nowadays, in 2011, the participation in World Wide Web is impossible without using weblogs, wikis, and other types of social media. Modern web-based applications allow the creation of weblog in 30 seconds without special knowledge, like HTML or web programming. User-centered concept together with specially developed forms for peer-reviewed publications invites everyone to become the active participant of social networks. Increase in availability and accessibility of Internet have dramatically changed the nature of web and its functions. (Ebner et al, 2008). Social networks offer the possibility to reach a huge amount of people in easy way. This possibility is unsurprisingly used not only for personal but also for commercial, social and political purposes. Presidents of different countries, heads of powerful corporations, royal family members, and other influential persons have accounts in social networks.
As far as the concept of Web 2.0 is rather new, theoretical base under it is rather narrow and weak. Sure, researchers adapt the existing theories to new realities; however, the changes in Web 2.0 are faster than researches. Thus, almost every research in this sphere is slightly outdated. However, it is possible to define three main dimensions in Web 2.0 studies. First, researchers explore the motivation of Web 2.0 activity. Second, the forms of Web 2.0 activity are under research. Third, the consequences and impact of Web 2.0 activity on society is the object of interests for analytics.
This research is focused on the phenomena of microblogging. It is increasingly popular form of web blogging. As every kind of social network, microblogging has the significant impact on the events in the world. Sometimes the active use of microblogging leads to negative consequences. The research is focused on the most popular microblog service Twitter and some examples of Twitter use related to the latest global events.
Importance of selected topic
The importance of Web 2.0 is obvious and doesn’t require to be proven. Web 2.0 is the method of system projection, which is mainly connected with Internet applications that assist with online collaboration with world wide web, information sharing, user centered design and interoperability (Prashant Sharma, 2008). Still Web 2.0 is not considered to be principally new invention. It unites a number of ideas that were used long before the appearing of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is just the new approach. However, this new approach changed the life of people and the changes continue. Analytics in all spheres of human activity pay much attention to the influence of web 2.0 on everyday life, science, education, and politics, so on.