Twitter is a sign of the times, serving a number of audiences

Twitter gives this generation exactly what it wants: instant gratification. The social networking site follows the new Internet trend of “real-time web.” Information is available the second it is published.
This instantaneous “tweeting” comes in handy for those with iPhones and Blackberries who feed their need to socialize constantly. According to the company’s blog, 40 percent of Twitter web traffic comes from the U.S.; 39 percent of international traffic comes from Japan. Twitter credits its success to its simplicty. Users are asked, “What’s happening?” and they answer in 140 characters or less.
Currently, the company does not run on advertising revenue, which just means that advertisers go directly to Twitter users instead. Still, the company’s website claims that they “plan to build Twitter, Inc. into a successful, revenue-generating company that attracts world-class talent with an inspiring culture and attitude towards doing business.”
But for what do people really use Twitter? Is it just another form of social networking entertainment? Or, is it a vital and useful social tool?
 For the Perez Hilton and People readers who love celebrity gossip, Twitter is the perfect resource. Top-followed celebrities include Britney Spears, Ashton Kutcher and Taylor Swift. Public figures use Twitter to advertise their projects, give immediate updates on their lives (Taylor Swift: “About to put on my official CSI cast and crew hoodie for the flight. You know, from my old days playing a corpse and fighting crime.”) or to talk with fellow celebrities.
These celebrity accounts are often used for public relations purposes, clearing the air about a new rumor or a sticky situation that gets overly-publicized. All in all, the main purpose of celebrity Twitterers is entertainment; the world would still survive without them, but it is what the public craves.
Twitter is not always used for evil. This summer it played an important role for citizens in Iran. After a questionable presidential election, protestors who were cut off from other media outlets turned to the Internet for relief, especially Twitter. Using this source, citizen-journalists were able to show videos and images of the violent protests and the government’s brutal response. Because of the effectiveness of this media outlet, the Department of State even requested a delay in the site’s regularly planned maintenance, which would otherwise have temporarily shut the site down.
Twitter is what you make of it. You can use it to read about the updates of your favorite celebrities, or you can follow the proactive route and learn about amazing causes or amazing stories that people want to share. Is Twitter a friend or a foe? You decide.