Fear of Feds Censors Corporate Tweets

Young people turn from long posts to short tweets

(NEWSER) - Just a few years ago, blogging was hot enough to be Merriam-Webster’s word of the year—but as Facebook and Twitter have grown, blogging has declined, the New York Times reports. The trend is particularly notable among the young: between 2006 and 2009, a survey found, blogging’s popularity among 12- to 17-year-olds dropped by half, while between 2008 and 2010, it fell 2 percentage points among the 18- to 33-year-old set. More»

(NEWSER) - If you think blogs are useless, think again: Scientists have developed a “hedonometer,” or happiness gauge, that analyzes personal online statements to pinpoint the overall contentment of the US population on a given day, the Discovery Channel reports. The program looks at sentences beginning with “I feel” and then grades the statement based on what follows. “Triumphant” gets an 8.87; “hostage” scores a 2.20. More»

It may be the first time social-networking popularity has been a job requirement

(NEWSER) - For possibly the first time, an active Twitter following is a job requirement, the Telegraph reports. Best Buy asked that candidates for a senior marketing position at the company’s Minnesota headquarters have at least 250 followers for their Twitter pages. The posting also lists “1 year of active blogging experience” as a requirement, along with more conventional marketing experience. More»

Site can be used for targeted, effective networking

(NEWSER) - If you’re unemployed, the right attention on Twitter could land you your next position. Forbes offers pointers on using the micro-blogging site for networking:

• Make sure your account name contains something about your profession, so your feed shows up when people search associated topics.
• Search for industry leaders and other people and companies in your field you’d like to know—some firms even post job openings on their feeds. Sign up to follow their tweets.

Blogging site to enforce new content policy

(NEWSER) - Tumblr is taking a stand against blogs that promote self-harm. When a new content policy goes into effect, likely next week, pro-anorexia blogs or others that urge readers to self-injure will no longer be allowed on the blogging site, according to a staff post today. The Awl and New York's Daily Intel blog note that the policy has divided users and will be difficult to enforce. The post itself notes that the prohibition "is intended to reach only those blogs that cross the line into active promotion or glorification," meaning that jokes about starving yourself are fine but advice about how to starve yourself is not. More»