Author Description

Product Description The sometimes surprising, often humorous story of the forces that came together to shape the central role Twitter now plays in contemporary politics and culture Is Twitter a place for sociability and conversation, a platform for public broadcasting, or a network for discussion? Digital platforms have become influential in every sphere of communication, from the intimate and everyday to the public, professional, and political. Since the scrappy startup days of social media in the mid-2000s, not only has the worldwide importance of platforms grown exponentially, but also their cultures have shifted dramatically, in a variety of directions. These changes have brought new opportunities for progressive communities to thrive online, as well as widespread problems with commercial exploitation, disinformation, and hate speech. Twitter's growth over the past decade, like that of much social media, has far surpassed its creators' vision. Twitter charts this trajectory in the format of a platform biography: a new, streamlined approach to understanding how platforms change over time. Through the often surprising, fast-moving story of Twitter, it illuminates the multiple forces--from politics and business to digital ideologies--that came together to shape the evolution of this revolutionary platform. About the Author Jean Burgess is director of the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology. She is coauthor or editor of several books on digital media, communication, and culture, in addition to over a hundred other scholarly outputs. Nancy K. Baym is a senior principal researcher at Microsoft in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is the author and coeditor of books about audiences, relationships, and the internet. Rachel Perry narrates audiobooks from her home studio in Los Angeles, California. She is a prolific narrator of romance, but also enjoys working in the mystery, self