Twitter Etiquette?

[The_Fire]

Ok, getting involved with twitter over here. Got some things regarding etiquette down, but one thing is bugging me.

Now, in real life, my mom taught me that interrupting other peoples, especially those you don't know, private conversation and just start chattering away is rather rude. Even if you find the conversation interesting as hell.

On twitter, if the same thing happens, it seems like you are supposed but in? Or do I owe one of my favorite screenwriters an apology?

Yes, social networking on the internet is new to me (it's usually months between me checking up on my FB), but could someone run down the tweeting does and donts when dealing with other people?

*goes back to dealing with a cranky netbook that had to be reinstalled due to a faulty MBR.*

 

[GodMark2]

I see twittering a conversation back and forth as equivalent to having a conversation with a person in the front seat of a city bus, when you're in the back seat. There's no expectation of privacy, and possible encouragement for intrusion. If you wanted it private, you could use any number of other means, likely using the same piece of electronics (e-mail, text, voice).

Then again, I have received some rather odd looks on the city bus.

 

[Beerina]

If it's your group of friends, isn't it more like a slow-paced chat room?

 

[MetalPig]

On twitter, if the same thing happens, it seems like you are supposed but in? Or do I owe one of my favorite screenwriters an apology?

If you can see them talking, they're not having a private conversation, so I'd say butt in all you want. Twitter has Direct Message for private conversations.

 

[arthwollipot]

If you @mention someone at the beginning of the post, other people can't see it unless they follow both of you. If you add a dot before the @, it can be seen publicly.

@The_Fire Only people who follow both of us can see this.

.@The_Fire Anyone can see this.

 

[Lamuella]

If you @mention someone at the beginning of the post, other people can't see it unless they follow both of you. If you add a dot before the @, it can be seen publicly.

@The_Fire Only people who follow both of us can see this.

.@The_Fire Anyone can see this.

that's not the case.

Anything other than a direct message on Twitter is publicly viewable by everyone. It won't show up on your most recent tweets/friendstream/whatever unless you follow both people, but if you go to view their actual page on Twitter, you will see all the tweets someone has made, regardless of if you follow them or if they're @ someone you follow.

 

[Joey McGee]

If I have something to say to someone that no one else could conceivably find interesting I will send a pm, it is common courtesy to others. The point of having public conversations is that someone else might join in or benefit!

 

[Psi Baba]

Using Twitter to have what one believes is a private conversation strikes me as the height of egotism. It's like you're saying, "Hey everyone, look at this cool discussion capslok and I are having; I know ur all jealous, but don't even THINK of joining in! Just read and be awed. lol"

 

[arthwollipot]

that's not the case.

Anything other than a direct message on Twitter is publicly viewable by everyone. It won't show up on your most recent tweets/friendstream/whatever unless you follow both people, but if you go to view their actual page on Twitter, you will see all the tweets someone has made, regardless of if you follow them or if they're @ someone you follow.

I should have said 'only people who follow both of us can see this in their timeline. You're right that if you go to their Twitter profile you'll see it.

However, DMs are seen only by the sender and the recipient.

 

[The_Fire]

0k, tnx. Does not owe screenwriter dude apology. And am now looking for ways of paying back for that nightmare inducing clown reference last night *shiver*.

 

[Alareth]

Using Twitter to have what one believes is a private conversation strikes me as the height of egotism. It's like you're saying, "Hey everyone, look at this cool discussion capslok and I are having; I know ur all jealous, but don't even THINK of joining in! Just read and be awed. lol"

People getting mad at others intruding on a twitter dialog are as silly as the occasional forum poster here that attempts to tell people they are not allowed to post in a thread they started.