Peer Co-Creation

Shirky's theory of promise, tool, and bargain in functioning groups is one that is very evident in many social networks that we participate in today. The promise is what interests potential users to become actual users, and the tools are what can be used to meet the promise. Being "the most complex aspect of a […] group", the bargain is the expectations that members of the group have for one another" (270). An important point that Shirky mentions is that "a successful bargain […] must be a good fit for both the promise and the tools used" (261).

For many online platforms, this promise, tool, and bargain system seems obvious. Wikipedia is a prime example where the systems works smoothly and allows harmony between users. For platforms such as Twitter, the waters are somewhat murky. On the main page of the website, Twitter promises that users can "share and discover what's happening right now, anywhere in the world". That seems simple enough but at the same time, aren't there other platforms that promise the same thing? So what separates Twitter from the others?

The answer may be in the tool. Twitter only allows users to make 140-character status updates; this means that everything is short, sweet, and quick. Users are able to update quickly and scan through content quickly. Without the character limit, Twitter would resemble a blogging tool where users can write as much as they want. With this system, they are limited, so they have to get right to the point. Another good thing about Twitter is that if you are interested in a particular topic and you want to know what others are saying about it, you can search it. The search will scan through all the recent tweets and pull out the ones with the keywords you typed in. The platform also incorporates a new type of tagging where you can mention other tweeple in your tweets and they will be notified. In short, Twitter is a very simple way to connect with other people and be heard.

Even with such a simple promise and tool, the bargain between users seems a bit unclear. Afterall, what really is the purpose of tweeting about every move you make? Does anyone really care that you are getting a coffee or shopping for a new dress? One thing that did make Twitter so popular is because celebrities use it. So what factors does that add to the picture? I think when people use Twitter, it is partially because they wish to gain attention. Maybe users have the expectation that if they read other people's tweets that their tweets will be read as well.