Thanks for the well thought out comment. You make a great point, we learn how to filter important information with any media we consume. However, I will argue that other forms of media offer filtering options that make this much easier than those offered by twitter. (or at least as far as I can see right now)

For Example

TV – I can now use my DVR to skip through clutter within tv shows such as ads and boring program chatter

Online – I can now filter websites with bookmarks, RSS, and much more to get only the info I want right away

Although not perfect those options are helpful.

Facebook now offers an option on the news feed that you can select if you want more or less news about a person or group. So if I wanted to learn more about Carolyn I could select “more about Carolyn” and facebook would increase my updates on you.

I just hope to see twitter offer some filter options moving forward. For example, I may love to follow your tweets (and I do) but I may not need to see your direct replies to people (@reply stuff)

In the end I know different folks will want to consume information in various ways and for that reason I am on a few platforms. (why anyone would want to follow my updates I cannot venture to guess)

Thanks for the insight CT!

You’re a twit. (Sorry, had to, couldn’t resist, joke never gets old for me.)

Regarding your point as to “lots of noise,” this is the same hurdle we’ve seen with all technological evolution. Each new leap results in more noise and a greater emphasis on the consumer’s ability to identify that which is personally important.

Example: When we first got email, we were suddenly able to communicate with more people, faster. Thus increasing the quantity and flow of information. In response, we learned to filter our emails, create folders and identify spam. Same thing with websites. We started out with a few, now there are millions, yet as consumers, we identify which sites we visit regularly.

Same applies to social media and all those voices and thoughts that you now have access to. As more information is available to use, we become savvier consumers of data, better able to manage/filter all inbound information efficiently.

Additionally, now we have access to first-hand accounts of events. ShareASale CEO Brian Littleton had a great observation…when the LA earthquake hit, he found out first though his twitter contacts, second through the news media. His twitter contacts are credible because he chose only to follow people he trusts.

We have a choice about what to consume. The difference now is not the quantity of data ut there…the difference is that now we have access to it.

https://twitter.com/catango