At a recent installment of Twitter’s weekly all-hands “Tea Time” meeting, employees took turns sharing why they work at Twitter (TWTR). One Tweep offered the reason, “Because one tweet can change the world.” (Read more about that meeting, and Twitter’s plans to turn itself around, in Fortune’s new feature story, “Fixing Twitter.”)
That claim would sound cheesy–if it weren’t occasionally true. Even as Twitter struggles to attract new users, it’s still a platform with incredible reach. And a single tweet, especially from an influential person, can still have a big, even world-changing, impact.
Obama sticks up for Ahmed.
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) September 16, 2015
Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old student in Irving, Texas, was arrested for bringing the parts of a reassembled clock to school in a suitcase. The incident ignited a national debate about racial profiling, and President Obama responded with an invite to the White House.
Twitter breaks the Osama bin Laden news.
So I'm told by a reputable person they have killed Osama Bin Laden. Hot damn.
— Keith Urbahn (@keithurbahn) May 2, 2011
On May 1, 2011, not long after the White House announced an upcoming national security address, Keith Urbahn, a former chief of staff to defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, tweeted out what he knew. The news quickly spread across Twitter for 20 minutes before any TV news organization could confirm it. The scoop prompted a breathless declaration from Business Insider that Urban’s tweet was “Twitter’s CNN Moment.” Later, it came out that separately, Sohaib Athar, a Pakistan-based IT consultant, had inadvertently live-tweeted the raid on bin Laden’s compound.
Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event).
— Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) May 1, 2011
(Twitter is also credited with breaking the news of Whitney Houston’s death and the Boston Marathon bombing.)
Caitlin Jenner introduces herself to the world.
I'm so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can't wait for you to get to know her/me.
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 1, 2015
For several years now, transgender celebrities like Laverne Cox of Orange is the New Black and characters like Maura Pfefferman of Transgender have helped bring the transgender movement into the mainstream. But reality TV star Caitlin Jenner (formerly famous as Olympic medalist Bruce Jenner) is the most prominent celebrity to publicly transition. In tandem with a Vanity Fair cover, Jenner revealed her new name on Twitter.
The Mars Curiosity Rover reignites excitement about space exploration.
Look Back in Wonder… My 1st picture of Earth from the surface of Mars. Info: http://t.co/JMMMmiAEX0pic.twitter.com/xWOJdMqMVq
— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) February 6, 2014
The Mars Curiosity Rover, which landed on the planet in 2012, has used Twitter to reveal many exciting discoveries–including tantalizing hints of earth-like biological life on the plane–transmitting them in the form of gifs, videos and photos.
Edward Snowden speaks out.
Journalists: Crucial details in the @FBI v. #Apple case are being obscured by officials. Skepticism here is fair: pic.twitter.com/lEVEvOxcNm
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 19, 2016
Though he now lives in near-imprisoned status in Russia since leaking classified government documents in 2013, the former NSA contractor’s tweets on privacy and government surveillance regularly shape the national conversation. Recently, he weighed in on the showdown between Apple and the FBI.
Citizen journalism is first to the scene for the Miracle on the Hudson.
http://twitpic.com/135xa – There's a plane in the Hudson. I'm on the ferry going to pick up the people. Crazy.
— Janis Krums (@jkrums) January 15, 2009
When U.S. Airways flight 1549 landed on the Hudson river in 2009, the first view of the crash came on Twitter. It marked another example of the Twitter’s value as a news service. (This happened before Twitter allowed native photo embedding; see the photo here.)
Hillary makes it official.
I'm running for president. Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion. –H https://t.co/w8Hoe1pbtC
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 12, 2015
We’re using this tweet as a stand-in for the glut of election tweets of the past year. All of the 2016 presidential candidates have used Twitter to speak to supporters, announce important news, respond to attacks, and occasionally change the conversation.
Trump.
I wonder if President Obama would have attended the funeral of Justice Scalia if it were held in a Mosque? Very sad that he did not go!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2016
While all the presidential candidates use Twitter, Donald Trump’s Twitter presence is unlike that of any other candidate. He uses the platform to bully his critics, and many of his Tweets–including retweets of white supremacists and fake photos of his enemies–would once have spelled doom for anyone with political aspirations. But the volume and repetition of his statements have numbed Americans to the shock we once felt at this sort of behavior.
The Arab Spring.
Photo: The anti-Morsi demonstrations are THE biggest I've ever seen in #Egypt. #30Junepic.twitter.com/BTA0N18RVq
— benwedeman (@bencnn) June 30, 2013
Revolutions in 2011 in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and Libya used both Twitter and Facebook to communicate and organize. Social media has continued to play a prominent role, particularly during Egyptian protests in 2013 (shown above).
Justine Sacco cracks a regrettable joke.
An IAC PR representative with a few hundred Twitter followers cracked an offensive joke before boarding a long flight. Valleywag, a gossip blog, drew attention to the tweet, fueling an angry mob of outrage that elevated the hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet to a trending topic. The incident completely derailed Sacco’s life–she was confronted in the Cape Town airport, ridiculed online, and soon after, fired. (Sacco’s offending tweet was later deleted.)
The incident showed the world the dark side of social media and caused many to rethink their participation in angry online mobs. Twitter, Facebook and other social outlets can unite people around any cause, positive or negative. Often the outrage machine moves so fast that there’s no time to consider empathy, fairness or the consequences of an attack. Twitter, which values and supports freedom of speech on its platform, continues to grapple with how to address the online harassment and bullying that comes along with that freedom. CEO Jack Dorsey has made safety one of his top five priorities.
Black Lives Matter
If I'm arrested today please know I'm not suicidal. I have plenty to live for. I did not resist, I'm just black.
— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) August 10, 2015
Twitter continues to be a major tool for activist movements to share information, mobilize protests, and speak out against injustices. The #Blacklivesmatter hashtag started in 2013 but grew to prominence in 2015 as the movement to curb police violence gained steam. More than 41 million related tweets have been sent.
Oreo dunks in the dark.
Power out? No problem. pic.twitter.com/dnQ7pOgC
— OREO Cookie (@Oreo) February 4, 2013
Marketers still refer to this Tweet, posted during a surprise blackout during the 2013 Super Bowl, in awe. The transition from broadcast-style advertising to the conversational world of social media has been awkward, with many brands stumbling as they try to insert themselves into social media conversations. (Inevitably, some clueless brand will use a solemn holiday or news event to do some crass salesmanship. Think Kenneth Cole’s tasteless promotion around riots in Cairo.) But Oreo’s quick-moving tweet showed marketers just how sophisticated they need to be to win at social media.
