Category: Technology Author : Steven Hodson Posted: April 15, 2009
Tags : Aston Kutcher, cnn, Larry King, Twitter
So what’s the big news these days?
The recession starting to see an upswing in China?
North Korea reactivating its nuclear program?
The Obama clan get a new hypo-allergenic puppy?
No. It’s all about some actor named Ashton Kutcher, whose only real claim to fame at this point is being married to Demi Moore, looking to reach 1 million followers on Twitter before the CNN news bot does. Yes folks in an effort to finally prove how totally useless Twitter can be we have Larry King accepting the challenge on behalf of CNN that the new organization will reach that magical number before Kutcher does.
Robert Scoble once said it isn’t the number of people of following you on Twitter that is important but rather the number of people you are following. Well if we look at those numbers in regards to the two combatants in the PR slugfest of the century we can see they are both losers. Currently CNN while ahead in the follower’s number game is lagging behind Kutcher, which isn’t say much either.
Kutcher is following: 70 people
CNN is following 6 people
Where it can make sense for CNN to have as any followers as it does, because it is a news broadcaster after all, Kutcher’s obsession with reaching that earth shattering milestone of 1 million is pointless and stupid. It also shows how as much as the folks in social media would like everyone to believe that it is all about the conversation the real point of Twitter is to prove how little you value your friendships. After all how could you even come close to being able to give a rational explanation about any value of having a million people following you.
You can’t, and in the process you prove to the world just how silly this Twitter thing can be – which is too bad because Twitter could be much more than this. Also an interesting little side bit to this. Until today CNN didn’t even own the CNN profile on Twitter but once they saw the obvious PR value of it they hauled out the checkbook and bought it up from one Jamie Cox of San Francisco.
So on one hand we have senility encroaching Larry King issuing a YouTube video talking about how he’ll take on Kutcher on his Twitter thing – does Larry even know what Twitter is? On the other hand we have doucebag Kutcher bribing the Twitter masses with the help of game maker EA as well as emotionally blackmailing us with promises of buying 10,000 bed nets to help fight malaria.
And why?
Other than for some perverse ego boost on Kutcher behalf and momentary PR of how cool they are on CNN’s behalf this bullshit serves no other purpose than a momentary distraction for the Twitter masses.
Isn’t our use of technology bloody wonderful.
Now about that recession?
Apr 15, 2009
Sell it… like the guy who owned the CNNbrk Twitter account!
Apr 15, 2009
Hmmm… that suddenly gave me the idea of making as many twitter accounts that I could by using all the possible names of big companies who need the PR! Ha! Then I could just sell it to them like the CNNbrk account.
thats a way to combat the recession right there.
Apr 15, 2009
Follow @themime or @dumbelievable spiking a nobody to the top while destroying the celebrity ego and the corporate social marketing minds.
Apr 15, 2009
You guys are all writing about this. That's the point. And we're the fools actually reading about it. Several more people now know who Ashton Kutcher is. Build buzz without any objective? Start-ups do it all the time (sigh). The interesting side story is about the thousands of Twitter @names that are about to disappear. I'm glad I have mine, @sammystein
Apr 15, 2009
I'm just sad to witness a tool who has the influence that he possesses and not use that for good. Instead, I'm watching a gag from the 70's show and I'm waiting for Fez to pop up and say something funny in that little accent of his.
There are other matters that demand our attention…
Apr 15, 2009
Common, Sit back and enjoy. Why do you need to call it stupid?
lol!
Apr 16, 2009
I just want to throw my name into the ring – if i'm the first person to 1 million followers I'll donate $10,000 to charity! Go on, do it for the kids!
http://www.twitter.com/tomjd
Apr 16, 2009
Boring. There are better things to worry about than this sideshow. I'm more concerned about the left-right paradigm collapsing.
Apr 16, 2009
Twitter is growing fast.
Twitter On The Verge Of Killing RSS
http://www.techunits.com/content/1413/twitter_on_the_v...
Apr 17, 2009
Ask them to jump off a cliff.
Easy way to fight overpopulation.
Apr 17, 2009
its all marketing, the challenge exists with all media and people in business.
Apr 17, 2009
You've missed Kutchers point completely! He is pointing out the absurdity of the whole “twitter” followers B.S., not endorsing it. He is a notorious prankster in the U.S. and has a certain sardonic wit
Apr 17, 2009
I don't think there's an awful lot you can do with a twitter account for it to be worth anything close to what he makes on one of the his movies.
Also why is Oprah using twitter a big deal? She's made an entire show about it – she has like 100k of followers, that's insane.
Apr 17, 2009
Brilliant idea. I'll buy the ones you didn't get to.
Apr 17, 2009
Who cares? Ashton Kutcher can do whatever the hell he wants. I don't see what you people are stressing over it. What harm has it done to you?
Apr 17, 2009
Who ever wrote this doesnt understand the bigger point that was being made by “the Battle” of “losers”. Who cares if Ashton got to 1mil first , who cares who paid for the 100000 nets… if it wasnt news why write about it? would you put yourself in the “loser” catergory
Apr 17, 2009
whoever wrote that comment doesn't understand what the job description is – to cover what is happening in the tech world and either report it or express an opinion.
Apr 17, 2009
ya .. okay whatever you say
Apr 17, 2009
what stress? I'm just doing my job
Apr 17, 2009
I agree you 100%. Ashton Kutcher has indeed emotionally blackmailed many with promises of buying 10,000 bed nets to help fight malaria. He will actually make much more out of this compared to what he will spend on the nets. Using Africa in order to achive his selfish goals!
Apr 17, 2009
I am angry because he is using unethical tactics for his own personal glory.
Apr 18, 2009
Jeez, what a bunch of cynics. Yes- Kutcher is self-promoting, but I still believe he has an activist angst that he is also promoting.
Apr 18, 2009
Sounds to me like someone is a little bitter.