Twitter

Overview

Micro-blogging is a form of blogging that allows users to send brief text updates to a Web site that aggregates these messages for viewing by friends or the public. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messages, mobile Web sites, audio formats, or the Web site hosting the micro-blog. While several micro-blogging sites exist, CDC currently participates only in Twitter.

Twitter is an online micro-blogging and social networking Web site that is used to provide information, commentary and descriptions of events and highlight certain audio or video content. Twitter users send updates, or “tweets,” that are 140 characters or less in length. Individual users can “follow” another users’ updates.

Twitter at CDC

CDC encourages the strategic use of Twitter to effectively and inexpensively reach individuals and partners with timely health and safety information.