Twitter co-founder and current creative director Christopher ‘Biz’ Stone has suggested that users should take a break from tweeting and try not to spend too much time on the site.
Speaking before the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, Stone described how he had heard of users spending up to twelve hours straight on the social network. “To me, that sounds unhealthy,” he said.
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Stone said he thinks it’s better if users use the site to find information, or learn something, and then log out. “I think that’s a much healthier engagement. Obviously, we want you to come frequently,” added Stone.
Twitter reportedly has over 100 million active users (who log in at least once a month), while 40% of 500-million users don’t actually tweet — they only log in to read the tweets in their timeline. The service has been used for everything from reporting breaking news to facilitating revolution, but the potential for addiction remains one of its criticisms.
Stone also discussed the initial failures of the social networking site, describing how when they started Twitter “nobody thought it was a very good idea”, but they continued to build something “fun”. However, he also realises its potential to change the world.
“The more connected we get through all social media, the more humanity can move as one,” said Stone. “Maybe I’m just being hallucinogenically optimistic, but the idea that once we’re connected we’ll be able to move together, suggests we’ll be able to get a lot more done in a lot shorter time.”
