Thursday
Oct012009
The Mob Comes After Twitter
Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 11:46AM | in Articles Just wrote a piece for Daily Beast about this annoying new app/game for Twitter, and whether someone is going to have to close something, somewhere, to prevent the spread of more of the same...
...sure enough, it turns out that clicking on the big red button grants Mobster World access to your Twitter account, and gives the game the ability to send invitations automatically to all your followers and everyone you follow. Which it goes ahead and does instantaneously, before you even get to the next page.
Reader Comments (6)
"It's an alarmingly simple but dastardly concept that may ultimately challenge the openness of Twitter."
Stuff like this seems for all too many an added cost for "openness." Individuals who use and who develop these platforms (be they code masters or swooning masses) frequently discover a downside to yet another one of their wilder dreams.
If wishes were horses
Beggars would ride:
If turnips were watches
I would wear one by my side.
I would develop a "platform" for getting up in the morning. It would be called "Turnip," "Tipurn" or "Runpit." Every time i thought i had a great idea or wanted to press a button the user would tell it to the Turnip. One of the apps included would be a version of the old standard "8Ball."
When i did finally find an app to solve some serious global problems, then (maybe), but only then would i suggest, "Hey! Push the button! Spam the swarm or some1ulove!
-mason
re: "The only way to reliably end its hold on you and your people is to close your Twitter account"
Why not just change your password?
I don't use twitter/facebook et al. Am I dumb/naive in thinking this sort of problem could be solved by people just reading the terms of agreement more carefully, or at least checking reputations?
I don't install just any program from the internet - but I do install some. How is this worse/different?
Yes, of course, regular reader. That's what both Evan (the founder of Twitter) and I argue in the piece.
As for Swadeshine - apparently just changing your password doesn't do it. I'm not sure why. It may have something to do with the fact that the user has attached the program to his account, or already given everything in his account up to that point. You don't need to tell Mobster your password for it to work, anyway.
No one held a gun to your head and told you use idiotic things like twitter and facebook and the rest. Instead of all this shit just walk out on your street and chat up your neighbors. No friendly neighbors? Move to a different place where there are some nice people around. I did.
Try meeting people face to face instead of living in an ersatz world which brings little joy.
Sam - my latest book certainly supports that argument.
But you have to remember, this comments section is no better that Twitter or any other non-real encounter - yet here you are.