Twitter haters see no point in tweeting

SAN FRANCISCO -- Dave Magnusen has never used Twitter, yet it bugs him.

"It's a form of communication, but it's not very social," says Magnusen, 55, a database administrator in Durham, N.C. "You can't ignore (Twitter), but it's kind of sad how it's replaced people talking."

Tony Fuda feels the same way. The Niles, Ohio, native is particularly irked by tweets that insist on sharing the most mundane details of life.

"Do we really need to know that you just put your pants on, just brushed your teeth, just ordered a hamburger, just finished dinner, just walked out of the bathroom?" he says.

Magnusen's and Fuda's gripes underscore a strong undercurrent of resentment — and incredulity — by non-Twitter users toward the social-media service used by tens of millions.

Backlash among anti-Twitterers — reflected in scores of recent online comments to USATODAY.com — often center on unfamiliarity with the technology, its often narcissistic bent and the "random" use by many of its advocates, says Joseph Turow, a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

"With the advent of every new medium — books, radio, TV, social networks — there is a built-in fear, social concern, that it will lead to lack of productivity and a general sense of dysfunction," he says. "This is one of the tropes of the arrival of any new media. Many consider Twitter a fad."

Twitter spokeswoman Jenna Sampson pointed to a recent blog post by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. In it, he acknowledged the company has work to do in reaching out to those who are new to Twitter. "Defining a 'tweet' ... doesn't resonate with everyone," Stone wrote.

Earlier this month, Twitter bashers had another reason to send their tongues wagging: A new study concludes that 40% of tweets are "pointless babble."

Pear Analytics categorized 811 out of 2,000 random tweets over two weeks as babble. It categorized 751 (38%) as conversational, 174 (9%) as moderately interesting and 117 (6%) as self-promotional. Spam accounted for only 4%, or 75, of the tweets.

Callie Greenberg is not sweet on tweets. "I can't stand it," says Greenberg, 25, a medical-sales rep in Denver who is a loyal Facebook user. "Twitter is basically the same as updating your status on Facebook — only 20 times a day. It's overuse, almost stalkerish. Get a life."

Perhaps the same factors that made Twitter an overnight phenomenon have also stoked animosity, says Jeremy Pepper, a Twitter user since December 2006 who helps companies set up Twitter accounts so they can communicate with the public.

"There are two natural reactions to something overhyped as the next big thing: Some are drawn to it. Others dislike it," says Pepper. "Many consider it too cool for school."

Many bemoan the loss of face-to-face communication among a generation of people glued to their smartphones, netbooks or websites.

Indeed, 87% of 1,000 adults questioned in June said they prefer to deal with other people in person instead of via computers or smartphones, according to a survey from Brightkite, a mobile social-networking service, and GfK Technology, a market research agency.

"People are losing human contact," says Fuda, 39, a mail carrier. "They would rather text/Twitter/tweet — whatever it is called — than actually speak face-to-face with a person."

For some, social media is the latest step away from the art of simple conversation and human interaction. "Ten or 15 years ago, people on vacation would, rather than enjoy the moments and the time with the family, have a video camera stuck to their eye the entire time," says Magnusen, who uses e-mail and instant-messaging services. "I mean, taping a thrill ride so you can go home and watch your vacation? I don't know ..."

Others simply have little tweet tolerance for what they consider phony or preening messages.

"It's a look-at-me technology that seems to be more about vanity and competition than about information," says Jason King, 32, of Maysville, Ga. He does not use Twitter or Facebook.

He says celebrities' and athletes' use of Twitter has led many of their fans to the misguided impression that they're on a first-name basis with an Ashton Kutcher because they follow him on Twitter.

Kutcher has more than 3.2 million followers.