Twitter's Follow Model: A Powerful Design Choice

This article delves into the strengths of Twitter's one-way following system, arguing that it offers more depth and flexibility compared to the traditional two-way friend model embraced by social networks like Facebook.

• The follow model allows users to engage with a broader range of content, including celebrities, companies, and media outlets, without the need for mutual approval.
• It facilitates the creation of diverse and segmented social groupings, allowing users to curate their timelines and interact with different audiences.

The Issue of Social Groupings in Facebook

While the all-in-one approach of Facebook has gained immense popularity, it faces challenges in accommodating the growing complexity of social relationships. The article highlights the need for segmenting friends and contacts to maintain a tailored social experience.

• Users often require separate social networks for work, personal life, and other specific interests.
• The traditional two-way friend model fails to adequately address the presence of celebrities and companies in social networks, making it difficult to manage the flow of information.

Facebook's Struggle with Public Profiles

The article explores the challenges faced by Facebook in handling public profiles. It argues that the two-way friend model requires additional mechanisms, such as public/private profiles, to effectively manage interactions with celebrities and companies.

• The need for separate public and private profiles adds complexity and requires significant configuration.
• It can lead to fragmented content and duplicated efforts in maintaining separate profiles.

Advantages of Twitter's Follow System

Twitter's one-way following system offers several advantages, including ease of use, greater control over content consumption, and better support for diverse relationships.

• Users can effortlessly follow a variety of accounts without requiring approval.
• The follow model provides a more curated and focused timeline, as users only see content from accounts they choose to follow.
• It supports four tiers of relationships, allowing users to manage their connections with greater nuance.

Four-Tier Relationships in Twitter

The article outlines the four tiers of relationships created by Twitter's follow system, highlighting the flexibility and granularity it offers compared to Facebook's two-tier friend model.

Tier	Description
1	People who follow you, but you don't follow back
2	People who don't follow you, but you follow them
3	You both follow each other (Friends!)
4	Neither of you follow each other

Conclusion: The Future of Social Networks

The article concludes by acknowledging the strengths of both the follow and friend systems, recognizing the need for social networks to adapt to the evolving landscape of social interactions. It emphasizes the importance of balancing ease of use with the ability to effectively manage complex relationships, both personal and professional.

• The two-way friending model excels in supporting strictly real-life relationships but struggles with the complexities introduced by celebrities, brands, and companies.
• Twitter's follow system, while offering advantages in terms of flexibility and ease of use, may require further development to fully cater to the needs of diverse social groupings.