Borrowing from Twitter (or Google+)

In essence, Facebook Subscriptions adopts the Twitter model. Where Facebook has been about creating a more personal social network with family members and old high school friends, Twitter is a much more exhibitionist / voyeuristic social network in which anyone can follow anyone else and see everything they post.

It is possible to use Twitter to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues--either in a conversation open to the public, or in personal Direct Messages--and there are some controls available to lock Twitter down if you choose. But, the basic model is that I post every silly thought in my head--140 characters at a time--and random strangers who follow me will see those arbitrary thoughts show up in their Twitter feed.

When Google launched the , it created a sort of hybrid of Twitter and Facebook. Google+ also lets you (a.k.a. "follow") who are not part of your social network. The , and the ability to choose who will see a given post on a case by case basis enable me to switch seamlessly between sharing personal information with family and close friends, and posting tech news, sports highlights, and other items that interest me to the public at large.

Easier and More Engaging