Monday

Why Twitter works: Crowd-sourcing strength in numbers

A tornado hits St. Louis' Lambert airport. One of the worst series of storms ever rips through Tuscaloosa and the south. Billionaire Warren Buffett explains mistakes he made in a recent Berkshire Hathaway deal to investors in Omaha for the annual shareholder meeting. A Navy Seals team kills Osama Bin Laden, and President Barack Obama responds with an historic Sunday night speech.

Within the short span of a couple of weeks, Twitter crowd-sourcing -- the aggregation of disparate information and data into a coherent and trustworthy story -- provided accurate accounts through textual information, photographs and video. In many cases, the use of "smart" mobile telephones and devices offered high quality visual evidence that helped to tell a story. The Tuscaloosa tornado is perhaps the most ever recorded on video. Veteran journalists I spoke with Friday night at the Omaha Press Club could not remember any story that came close to what was offered by citizen journalists via YouTube.









In 2001, we watched in horror as television news anchors presided over the developing story of the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, as well as the collapsing towers and resulting news. In 2011, historic events are unfolding on Twitter, shared on Facebook and offered at speed so fast that traditional mass media are left to follow along. 




So, media roles shift, as we see in all of these examples, toward drill-down sourcing and second-day reporting that helps place news within a larger context. Crowd-sourcing works as a first-alert system for breaking news. Traditional media verify and backfill with the rest of the story.

Twitter and Bin Laden story crowd-sourcing

@JeremyHL

Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
@JeremyHL Omaha, Nebraska
Professor & Director, UNO School of Communication, University of Nebraska http://jeremylipschultz.com
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Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Noting that on 9/11 there were no #fb or @twitter to break the news: Watched Rather & Co. on #TV - #OBL #crowdsourcing#FutureOfNews
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @ABC: RT @gma: EXCLUSIVE: Inside the compound #OsamaBin Laden was killed: Photo http://abcn.ws/jmVJnd | Videohttp://abcn.ws/lA9dpT #OBL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @Poynter: 'Got him', 'Shot him,' 'Burn in hell,' 'Rot in hell' :#Newspaper front pages scream the news.. #OBLhttp://ow.ly/4L3cS
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
More RT @ABC: Exclusive: Inside the Operation That Killed Bin Laden http://abcn.ws/ma5H2W #OBL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
@samdalsimer - Very interesting how @Twitter AGAIN took lead thru live tweets. #OBL #tornado
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @TVNewsLab: Osama news hit Twitter first but TV quickly rose to the occasion. Agree or disagree? http://ow.ly/4L2Ra #OBL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @HuffPostMedia: #Newspapers break out the huge headlines for Osama bin Laden's death #OBL http://huff.to/l3yE3n
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @AnnCurry: NBCNews: Obama administration is still deciding whether/when to release video evidence of Osama bin Laden's death. #OBL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Inside the raid that killed bin Laden. #OBLhttp://apne.ws/l77ucM
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
"Justice has been done." RT @atompkins: JUST OUT: first look at Monday NYT front page http://cl.ly/6Nte
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @BloombergNow: Crude Oil Drops Most in Two Weeks as U.S. Says Bin Laden Killed http://bloom.bg/lDalNh
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @TechCrunch: Here's The Guy Who Unwittingly Live-tweeted The Raid On Bin Laden #OBL http://tcrn.ch/jHS3vN by @mikebutcher
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @atompkins: LOTS of new details-tracking couriers to find Bin Laden http://on.msnbc.com/mxalEb
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
@aciurej - @reallyvirtual was tweeting about helicopters over head during the historic raid that killed #OBL
_
 by JeremyHL
@ 
@andrewspooner The guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it @ReallyVirtual
Susan Elaine Cooper
BuzzEdition Susan Elaine Cooper 
 by JeremyHL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @CBSNews: AP: #Osama bin Laden was holed up in a two-story house 100 yards from a Pakistani military academy
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @SenBenNelson: Senator Ben Nelson's statement on death of Osama Bin laden http://1.usa.gov/k2tTsK
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @ABC: Will Death of #Osama Bin Laden Trigger Terror Attacks? Intel Officials Focus on Possible Revenge Attackshttp://abcn.ws/l7Uyjd
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @CBSNews: Al-Arabiya correspondent in Islamabad: two of#Osama bin Laden's wives and 4 of his sons captured during the raid
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @BBCWorld: Osama Bin Laden is dead: Full story and analysishttp://bbc.in/mwSZtB / Live coverage and reactionhttp://bbc.in/e29Rho #OBL
Suntimes
Suntimes Suntimes 
 by JeremyHL
US puts embassies on alert, warns Americans of al-Qaida reprisal attacks for bin Laden killing http://suntm.es/jfol1O
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Early morning reaction coming in from Kabul: "It will not affect the war in this region" -- Al Jazeera reporter
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
NationalJournal.com - TEXT: President George W. Bush's Statement on Osama Bin Laden's Death - Sunday, May 1, 2011nationaljournal.com/text-president…
PhillyInquirer
PhillyInquirer PhillyInquirer 
 by JeremyHL
RT ariannahuff Bin Laden announcement comes 8 years to the day after Bush's "mission accomplished" speech. #binLadenDead
Sandy Lipschultz
MissusLippy Sandy Lipschultz 
 by JeremyHL
My FB feed has been the busiest tonight of any time that I can remember. Twitter is totally blazing.
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
POTUS: "Justice has been done."
The Denver Post
denverpost The Denver Post 
 by JeremyHL

Obama says U.S. had enough intelligence to take action. Says U.S. launched offensive in Pakistan today.
Erick Schonfeld
erickschonfeld Erick Schonfeld 
 by JeremyHL
Bin Laden operation was done today by human ops team
C Gauvin
JeffersonObama C Gauvin 
 by JeremyHL
Obama authorized the planning and attack and killing of bin Laden in a firefight #Obama
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Compound deep inside Pakistan today in a firefight.
Paul Triggiani
PaulTrigg Paul Triggiani 
 by JeremyHL
#Osama bin Laden was killed in a mansion. Now we have to determine who did it, in which room and with what object.
Dev'erric MBewe
DerricSTORMM Dev'erric MBewe 
 by JeremyHL
CBS is reporting that OBL was "shot in the head" and the US supposedly has his body. Where are the details??
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Usama bin Laden is Dead, Sources Say - FoxNews.comfoxnews.com/us/2011/05/01/… via @foxnews
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Al Jazeera on Bin Laden: "He was basically on the run" for 10 years.
Andrea Ciurej
aciurej Andrea Ciurej 
 by JeremyHL
Osama Bin Laden was killed in a mansion outside of Islamabad, Pakistan, along with family members, CNN said.
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Al Jazeera English: Live Stream - Watch Now - Al Jazeera Englishenglish.aljazeera.net/watch_now/ via @ajenglish
Mother Jones
MotherJones Mother Jones 
 by JeremyHL
OBL was killed in a mansion outside of Islamabad, Pakistan, along w family members, says @CNN. Watch Obama live herehttp://bit.ly/kzB1Qz
rstevens
rstevens rstevens 
 by JeremyHL
I guess Joe Biden's in charge of getting the Powerpoint ready.
Andrea Ciurej
aciurej Andrea Ciurej 
 by JeremyHL
Threat levels around the world will be high. Al Qaeda is still in the game at this point. - NBC News
Greg Mitchell
GregMitch Greg Mitchell 
 by JeremyHL
Mets' radio announcer on buzz in stadium: "I can't recall so much elation over the death of another person. Wasn't born when Hitler died."
Dave Link
dave_link Dave Link 
 by JeremyHL
And THIS is why Twitter is the future of news.
✰ David Mathison ✰
BeTheMedia  David Mathison  
 by JeremyHL
AP, Pentagon reports #OsamaBinLaden killed in a mansion outside Islamabad Pakistan #fb
Matt Soleyn
soleynm Matt Soleyn 
 by JeremyHL
#Breaking: Osama bin Laden disappointed that 27 virgins were not waiting for him.
Marc Ambinder
marcambinder Marc Ambinder 
 by JeremyHL
Very important to figure out whether he was killed in Pakistan or Afghanistan. CNN says Afghanistan.
prdude
prdude prdude 
 by JeremyHL
the donald pissed off about the timing of this announcement. celebrity apprentice interrupted for this news.
Cheryl Burgess
ckburgess Cheryl Burgess 
 by JeremyHL
Signature statement - Bin Laden is dead! Headline around the world! @CNN
Dale Cressman
cressman Dale Cressman 
 by JeremyHL
RT @geoff9cow: RT @lehmannchris: Donald Trump preparing impromptu news conference to take credit for Osama's death
Mark D'Truth
Truth247 Mark D'Truth 
 by JeremyHL
Corinne Weisgerber
corinnew Corinne Weisgerber 
 by JeremyHL
Ron Edmondson
RonEdmondson Ron Edmondson 
 by JeremyHL
Barack Obama
BarackObama Barack Obama 
 by JeremyHL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
“@sonearyetsowhat: Finally! > @CJ14News: RT @keithurbahn: So I'm told by a reputable person they have killed Osama Bin Laden. Hot damn.”
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@Chris Allen has a nice opinion piece in the Sunday Omaha World-Herald. http://fb.me/GMQy9tBi
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Norah O'Donnell
NorahODonnell Norah O'Donnell 
 by JeremyHL
RT @pfeiffer44: POTUS to address the nation tonight at 10:30 PM Eastern Time
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ccooke6685: @katieontheradio -- Yes, The Simpsons were a hot research topic @CommUNO in the 1990s.
UNF-VF Partnership
Tech4Dev UNF-VF Partnership 
 by JeremyHL
"A free press is the immune system of democracy" - @CraigNewmark at #ActivateNYC
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @Internews: Only 13% of all news stories focus on #women; 20% experts quoted are women @InternewsJeanne #comm8570http://bit.ly/lXMxjd
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Great weekend! RT @borsheimsbrk: New post: #Buffett Says Sokol Episode Won't Hurt Him, #Berkshire http://bit.ly/jmepCE#brk2011
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @Drudge_Report: Thug stabs group of deaf people thinking sign language was gang talk... http://drudge.tw/lYR24P
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Gadhafi's son had survived US strike in 1986. #Libyahttp://apne.ws/jI6c2a
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: #Tornado victims seek comfort in Sunday services.http://apne.ws/jc30pE
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: #NASA says no new launch attempt before next Sunday.http://apne.ws/lsQmog
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Chicago Cubs
CubsInsider Chicago Cubs 
 by JeremyHL
Despite a 2-run double in the seventh, #Cubs couldn't overcome the #DBacks 3-run fourth and lose 4-3 to split the series.
tjohnson1960
tjohnson1960 tjohnson1960 
 by JeremyHL
@ 
@JeremyHL Hi Jeremy: I am conducting a survey on Twitter and politics. Would you consider giving me a retweet?http://tinyurl.com/3s98yfa
Pete Cashmore
mashable Pete Cashmore 
 by JeremyHL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Sunday in the South: Mourning for #tornado victims.http://apne.ws/iK35y2
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
NPR: Ham Radio Volunteers Worry About #Spectrum Plan#brct4340 @FCC-More at http://n.pr/kyCyhK
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: #Gadhafi OK but NATO strike kills youngest son. #Libyahttp://apne.ws/jnaT0U
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Congratulations UNO School of Communication 2011 Omaha Press Club scholarship winners (Courtesy Howard K. Marcus).http://fb.me/Ksbizskz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
RT @NormalcyBias: RT #Buffett admits error, says Sokol events inexcusable | Reuters #Berkshire11 reut.rs/iBzDdd via @reuters
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Warren #Buffett [video] took his annual #media walk at the#Berkshire Hathaway meeting Saturday. #BRK11http://youtu.be/oUnPYkxnyI8
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
@ControlledChaos - Yes, #Buffett today said a part of this he cannot understand, and may not 20 years from now. #BRK11
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Berkshire 1Q profit drops on insurance losses. #Buffett#BRK2011 http://apne.ws/lLyOUA
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
@CJEnoviso - international media swarm at #Berkshire11 with Warren #Buffett & explanation of Sokol insider trading claims timeline.
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
@ControlledChaos - SEC investigation of Sokol on insider trading allegations. #Berkshire11
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
#Buffett: Tech field "is going to be a huge field" - skills to pick winners will help in future. Munger: "or energy." #Berkshire11
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Son Howard #Buffett as "independent chairman" of #Berkshire as "safety measure" after Warren is gone. #Berkshire11
Poppy Harlow
PoppyHarlowCNN Poppy Harlow 
 by JeremyHL
#Buffett on Sokol situation: “we have turned over some very damning evidence to the public and the SEC”. #CNNMoney
Susie Gharib
sgharib_NBR Susie Gharib 
 by JeremyHL
#Buffett on #Sokol: "inexcusable" that Sokol violated "principles I laid out".
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
May graduate Kelley Alt at Berkshire lines http://fb.me/Ex30Oxof
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
...is headed to Berkshireville!
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Thank you to everyone participating in @CommUNOCommunication Week 2011! #CommWeek2011
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
UNO's Omaha Press Club 2011 Scholarship Winners!http://fb.me/UzGXL0Vk
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
#brct4340 papers focused on content regulation, as well as copyright law. #CommWeek2011
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
#brct4340 paper presentations at 2 pm
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: NASA delays space shuttle Endeavour's last launch. #bummerhttp://apne.ws/mTgY0t
Sandy Lipschultz
MissusLippy Sandy Lipschultz 
 by JeremyHL
@ 
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
Stanford faculty group votes to let #ROTC returnhttp://lat.ms/jkZcx6
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
NPR: In #Egypt, Libyan Refugees Find Tough Conditions-More athttp://n.pr/jfkPfE
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Survivors picking up pieces from deadly twisters.http://apne.ws/lUkzPn
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
NPR: Royalty, Schmoyalty: Revolting Against The #Wedding-More at http://n.pr/eOFjq7
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
@ 
@wtownley - Enjoyed @BigOmaha awards presentation - Thanks for helping make it a great @communo #CommWeek2011
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Wireless carriers get consent to use location data. #brct4340#privacy http://apne.ws/kfeiEO
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
JeremyHL Dr Jeremy Lipschultz 
AP: Killer twisters likely among largest, strongest.http://apne.ws/kJdhHL
Dr Jeremy Lipschultz
@JeremyHLDr Jeremy Lipschultz
Noting that on 9/11 there were no #fb or @twitter to break the news: Watched Rather & Co. on #TV - #OBL#crowdsourcing#FutureOfNews
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